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<section id="preamble">

<h1>The Life and Death of King John</h1>

<section id="dramatis-personae"><h2>Dramatis Personae</h2>

<ol class="persona-group">
  <li>KING JOHN</li>
  <li>PRINCE HENRY, son to the king.</li>
  <li>ARTHUR, Duke of Bretagne, nephew to the king.</li>
  <li>The Earl of PEMBROKE</li>
  <li>The Earl of ESSEX</li>
  <li>The Earl of SALISBURY</li>
  <li>The Lord BIGOT</li>
  <li>HUBERT DE BURGH</li>
  <li>ROBERT FAULCONBRIDGE, Son to Sir Robert Faulconbridge. </li>
  <li>PHILIP the BASTARD, his half-brother. </li>
  <li>JAMES GURNEY, servant to Lady Faulconbridge. </li>
  <li>PETER Of Pomfret, a prophet. </li>
  <li>PHILIP, King of France. </li>
  <li>LEWIS, the Dauphin.</li>
  <li>LYMOGES, Duke of AUSTRIA. </li>
  <li>CARDINAL PANDULPH, the Pope's legate.</li>
  <li>MELUN, a French Lord.</li>
  <li>CHATILLON, ambassador from France to King John.</li>
  <li>QUEEN ELINOR, mother to King John.</li>
  <li>CONSTANCE, mother to Arthur.</li>
  <li>BLANCH of Spain, niece to King John. </li>
  <li>LADY FAULCONBRIDGE</li>
  <li>Lords, Citizens of Angiers, Sheriff, Heralds, Officers, Soldiers, Messengers, and other Attendants.</li>
</ol>

</section>

<div id="scene-description">SCENE  Partly in England, and partly in France.</div>

</section>

<section class="act">

<h2>ACT I</h2>

<section class="scene">

<h3>SCENE I.  KING JOHN'S palace.</h3>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter KING JOHN, QUEEN ELINOR, PEMBROKE, ESSEX,
SALISBURY, and others, with CHATILLON</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Now, say, Chatillon, what would France with us?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CHATILLON</li>
  <li>Thus, after greeting, speaks the King of France</li>
  <li>In my behavior to the majesty,</li>
  <li>The borrow'd majesty, of England here.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">QUEEN ELINOR</li>
  <li class="number">A strange beginning: 'borrow'd majesty!'</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Silence, good mother; hear the embassy.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CHATILLON</li>
  <li>Philip of France, in right and true behalf</li>
  <li>Of thy deceased brother Geffrey's son,</li>
  <li>Arthur Plantagenet, lays most lawful claim</li>
  <li class="number">To this fair island and the territories,</li>
  <li>To Ireland, Poictiers, Anjou, Touraine, Maine,</li>
  <li>Desiring thee to lay aside the sword</li>
  <li>Which sways usurpingly these several titles,</li>
  <li>And put these same into young Arthur's hand,</li>
  <li class="number">Thy nephew and right royal sovereign.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>What follows if we disallow of this?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CHATILLON</li>
  <li>The proud control of fierce and bloody war,</li>
  <li>To enforce these rights so forcibly withheld.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Here have we war for war and blood for blood,</li>
  <li class="number">Controlment for controlment: so answer France.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CHATILLON</li>
  <li>Then take my king's defiance from my mouth,</li>
  <li>The farthest limit of my embassy.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Bear mine to him, and so depart in peace:</li>
  <li>Be thou as lightning in the eyes of France;</li>
  <li class="number">For ere thou canst report I will be there,</li>
  <li>The thunder of my cannon shall be heard:</li>
  <li>So hence! Be thou the trumpet of our wrath</li>
  <li>And sullen presage of your own decay.</li>
  <li>An honourable conduct let him have:</li>
  <li class="number">Pembroke, look to 't. Farewell, Chatillon.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Exeunt CHATILLON and PEMBROKE</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">QUEEN ELINOR</li>
  <li>What now, my son! have I not ever said</li>
  <li>How that ambitious Constance would not cease</li>
  <li>Till she had kindled France and all the world,</li>
  <li>Upon the right and party of her son?</li>
  <li class="number">This might have been prevented and made whole</li>
  <li>With very easy arguments of love,</li>
  <li>Which now the manage of two kingdoms must</li>
  <li>With fearful bloody issue arbitrate.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Our strong possession and our right for us.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">QUEEN ELINOR</li>
  <li class="number">Your strong possession much more than your right,</li>
  <li>Or else it must go wrong with you and me:</li>
  <li>So much my conscience whispers in your ear,</li>
  <li>Which none but heaven and you and I shall hear.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter a Sheriff</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">ESSEX</li>
  <li>My liege, here is the strangest controversy</li>
  <li class="number">Come from country to be judged by you,</li>
  <li>That e'er I heard: shall I produce the men?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Let them approach.</li>
  <li>Our abbeys and our priories shall pay</li>
  <li>This expedition's charge.</li>
  <li class="stage-direction">Enter ROBERT and the BASTARD</li>
  <li class="number">What men are you?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Your faithful subject I, a gentleman</li>
  <li>Born in Northamptonshire and eldest son,</li>
  <li>As I suppose, to Robert Faulconbridge,</li>
  <li>A soldier, by the honour-giving hand</li>
  <li class="number">Of Coeur-de-lion knighted in the field.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>What art thou?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">ROBERT</li>
  <li>The son and heir to that same Faulconbridge.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Is that the elder, and art thou the heir?</li>
  <li>You came not of one mother then, it seems.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li class="number">Most certain of one mother, mighty king;</li>
  <li>That is well known; and, as I think, one father:</li>
  <li>But for the certain knowledge of that truth</li>
  <li>I put you o'er to heaven and to my mother:</li>
  <li>Of that I doubt, as all men's children may.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">QUEEN ELINOR</li>
  <li class="number">Out on thee, rude man! thou dost shame thy mother</li>
  <li>And wound her honour with this diffidence.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>I, madam? no, I have no reason for it;</li>
  <li>That is my brother's plea and none of mine;</li>
  <li>The which if he can prove, a' pops me out</li>
  <li class="number">At least from fair five hundred pound a year:</li>
  <li>Heaven guard my mother's honour and my land!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>A good blunt fellow. Why, being younger born,</li>
  <li>Doth he lay claim to thine inheritance?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>I know not why, except to get the land.</li>
  <li class="number">But once he slander'd me with bastardy:</li>
  <li>But whether I be as true begot or no,</li>
  <li>That still I lay upon my mother's head,</li>
  <li>But that I am as well begot, my liege —  </li>
  <li>Fair fall the bones that took the pains for me! — </li>
  <li class="number">Compare our faces and be judge yourself.</li>
  <li>If old sir Robert did beget us both</li>
  <li>And were our father and this son like him,</li>
  <li>O old sir Robert, father, on my knee</li>
  <li>I give heaven thanks I was not like to thee!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li class="number">Why, what a madcap hath heaven lent us here!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">QUEEN ELINOR</li>
  <li>He hath a trick of Coeur-de-lion's face;</li>
  <li>The accent of his tongue affecteth him.</li>
  <li>Do you not read some tokens of my son</li>
  <li>In the large composition of this man?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li class="number">Mine eye hath well examined his parts</li>
  <li>And finds them perfect Richard. Sirrah, speak,</li>
  <li>What doth move you to claim your brother's land?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Because he hath a half-face, like my father.</li>
  <li>With half that face would he have all my land:</li>
  <li class="number">A half-faced groat five hundred pound a year!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">ROBERT</li>
  <li>My gracious liege, when that my father lived,</li>
  <li>Your brother did employ my father much —  </li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Well, sir, by this you cannot get my land:</li>
  <li>Your tale must be how he employ'd my mother.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">ROBERT</li>
  <li class="number">And once dispatch'd him in an embassy</li>
  <li>To Germany, there with the emperor</li>
  <li>To treat of high affairs touching that time.</li>
  <li>The advantage of his absence took the king</li>
  <li>And in the mean time sojourn'd at my father's;</li>
  <li class="number">Where how he did prevail I shame to speak,</li>
  <li>But truth is truth: large lengths of seas and shores</li>
  <li>Between my father and my mother lay,</li>
  <li>As I have heard my father speak himself,</li>
  <li>When this same lusty gentleman was got.</li>
  <li class="number">Upon his death-bed he by will bequeath'd</li>
  <li>His lands to me, and took it on his death</li>
  <li>That this my mother's son was none of his;</li>
  <li>And if he were, he came into the world</li>
  <li>Full fourteen weeks before the course of time.</li>
  <li class="number">Then, good my liege, let me have what is mine,</li>
  <li>My father's land, as was my father's will.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Sirrah, your brother is legitimate;</li>
  <li>Your father's wife did after wedlock bear him,</li>
  <li>And if she did play false, the fault was hers;</li>
  <li class="number">Which fault lies on the hazards of all husbands</li>
  <li>That marry wives. Tell me, how if my brother,</li>
  <li>Who, as you say, took pains to get this son,</li>
  <li>Had of your father claim'd this son for his?</li>
  <li>In sooth, good friend, your father might have kept</li>
  <li class="number">This calf bred from his cow from all the world;</li>
  <li>In sooth he might; then, if he were my brother's,</li>
  <li>My brother might not claim him; nor your father,</li>
  <li>Being none of his, refuse him: this concludes;</li>
  <li>My mother's son did get your father's heir;</li>
  <li class="number">Your father's heir must have your father's land.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">ROBERT</li>
  <li>Shall then my father's will be of no force</li>
  <li>To dispossess that child which is not his?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Of no more force to dispossess me, sir,</li>
  <li>Than was his will to get me, as I think.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">QUEEN ELINOR</li>
  <li class="number">Whether hadst thou rather be a Faulconbridge</li>
  <li>And like thy brother, to enjoy thy land,</li>
  <li>Or the reputed son of Coeur-de-lion,</li>
  <li>Lord of thy presence and no land beside?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Madam, an if my brother had my shape,</li>
  <li class="number">And I had his, sir Robert's his, like him;</li>
  <li>And if my legs were two such riding-rods,</li>
  <li>My arms such eel-skins stuff'd, my face so thin</li>
  <li>That in mine ear I durst not stick a rose</li>
  <li>Lest men should say 'Look, where three-farthings goes!'</li>
  <li class="number">And, to his shape, were heir to all this land,</li>
  <li>Would I might never stir from off this place,</li>
  <li>I would give it every foot to have this face;</li>
  <li>I would not be sir Nob in any case.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">QUEEN ELINOR</li>
  <li>I like thee well: wilt thou forsake thy fortune,</li>
  <li class="number">Bequeath thy land to him and follow me?</li>
  <li>I am a soldier and now bound to France.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Brother, take you my land, I'll take my chance.</li>
  <li>Your face hath got five hundred pound a year,</li>
  <li>Yet sell your face for five pence and 'tis dear.</li>
  <li class="number">Madam, I'll follow you unto the death.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">QUEEN ELINOR</li>
  <li>Nay, I would have you go before me thither.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Our country manners give our betters way.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>What is thy name?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Philip, my liege, so is my name begun,</li>
  <li class="number">Philip, good old sir Robert's wife's eldest son.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>From henceforth bear his name whose form thou bear'st:</li>
  <li>Kneel thou down Philip, but rise more great,</li>
  <li>Arise sir Richard and Plantagenet.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Brother by the mother's side, give me your hand:</li>
  <li class="number">My father gave me honour, yours gave land.</li>
  <li>Now blessed by the hour, by night or day,</li>
  <li>When I was got, sir Robert was away!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">QUEEN ELINOR</li>
  <li>The very spirit of Plantagenet!</li>
  <li>I am thy grandam, Richard; call me so.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li class="number">Madam, by chance but not by truth; what though?</li>
  <li>Something about, a little from the right,</li>
  <li>In at the window, or else o'er the hatch:</li>
  <li>Who dares not stir by day must walk by night,</li>
  <li>And have is have, however men do catch:</li>
  <li class="number">Near or far off, well won is still well shot,</li>
  <li>And I am I, howe'er I was begot.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Go, Faulconbridge: now hast thou thy desire;</li>
  <li>A landless knight makes thee a landed squire.</li>
  <li>Come, madam, and come, Richard, we must speed</li>
  <li class="number">For France, for France, for it is more than need.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Brother, adieu: good fortune come to thee!</li>
  <li>For thou wast got i' the way of honesty.</li>
  <li class="stage-direction">Exeunt all but BASTARD</li>
  <li>A foot of honour better than I was;</li>
  <li>But many a many foot of land the worse.</li>
  <li class="number">Well, now can I make any Joan a lady.</li>
  <li>'Good den, sir Richard!' — 'God-a-mercy, fellow!' — </li>
  <li>And if his name be George, I'll call him Peter;</li>
  <li>For new-made honour doth forget men's names;</li>
  <li>'Tis too respective and too sociable</li>
  <li class="number">For your conversion. Now your traveller,</li>
  <li>He and his toothpick at my worship's mess,</li>
  <li>And when my knightly stomach is sufficed,</li>
  <li>Why then I suck my teeth and catechise</li>
  <li>My picked man of countries: 'My dear sir,'</li>
  <li class="number">Thus, leaning on mine elbow, I begin,</li>
  <li>'I shall beseech you' — that is question now;</li>
  <li>And then comes answer like an Absey book:</li>
  <li>'O sir,' says answer, 'at your best command;</li>
  <li>At your employment; at your service, sir;'</li>
  <li class="number">'No, sir,' says question, 'I, sweet sir, at yours:'</li>
  <li>And so, ere answer knows what question would,</li>
  <li>Saving in dialogue of compliment,</li>
  <li>And talking of the Alps and Apennines,</li>
  <li>The Pyrenean and the river Po,</li>
  <li class="number">It draws toward supper in conclusion so.</li>
  <li>But this is worshipful society</li>
  <li>And fits the mounting spirit like myself,</li>
  <li>For he is but a bastard to the time</li>
  <li>That doth not smack of observation;</li>
  <li class="number">And so am I, whether I smack or no;</li>
  <li>And not alone in habit and device,</li>
  <li>Exterior form, outward accoutrement,</li>
  <li>But from the inward motion to deliver</li>
  <li>Sweet, sweet, sweet poison for the age's tooth:</li>
  <li class="number">Which, though I will not practise to deceive,</li>
  <li>Yet, to avoid deceit, I mean to learn;</li>
  <li>For it shall strew the footsteps of my rising.</li>
  <li>But who comes in such haste in riding-robes?</li>
  <li>What woman-post is this? hath she no husband</li>
  <li class="number">That will take pains to blow a horn before her?</li>
  <li class="stage-direction">Enter LADY FAULCONBRIDGE and GURNEY</li>
  <li>O me! it is my mother. How now, good lady!</li>
  <li>What brings you here to court so hastily?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LADY FAULCONBRIDGE</li>
  <li>Where is that slave, thy brother? where is he,</li>
  <li>That holds in chase mine honour up and down?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li class="number">My brother Robert? old sir Robert's son?</li>
  <li>Colbrand the giant, that same mighty man?</li>
  <li>Is it sir Robert's son that you seek so?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LADY FAULCONBRIDGE</li>
  <li>Sir Robert's son! Ay, thou unreverend boy,</li>
  <li>Sir Robert's son: why scorn'st thou at sir Robert?</li>
  <li class="number">He is sir Robert's son, and so art thou.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>James Gurney, wilt thou give us leave awhile?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">GURNEY</li>
  <li>Good leave, good Philip.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Philip! sparrow: James,</li>
  <li>There's toys abroad: anon I'll tell thee more.</li>
  <li class="stage-direction">Exit GURNEY</li>
  <li class="number">Madam, I was not old sir Robert's son:</li>
  <li>Sir Robert might have eat his part in me</li>
  <li>Upon Good-Friday and ne'er broke his fast:</li>
  <li>Sir Robert could do well: marry, to confess,</li>
  <li>Could he get me? Sir Robert could not do it:</li>
  <li class="number">We know his handiwork: therefore, good mother,</li>
  <li>To whom am I beholding for these limbs?</li>
  <li>Sir Robert never holp to make this leg.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LADY FAULCONBRIDGE</li>
  <li>Hast thou conspired with thy brother too,</li>
  <li>That for thine own gain shouldst defend mine honour?</li>
  <li class="number">What means this scorn, thou most untoward knave?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Knight, knight, good mother, Basilisco-like.</li>
  <li>What! I am dubb'd! I have it on my shoulder.</li>
  <li>But, mother, I am not sir Robert's son;</li>
  <li>I have disclaim'd sir Robert and my land;</li>
  <li class="number">Legitimation, name and all is gone:</li>
  <li>Then, good my mother, let me know my father;</li>
  <li>Some proper man, I hope: who was it, mother?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LADY FAULCONBRIDGE</li>
  <li>Hast thou denied thyself a Faulconbridge?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>As faithfully as I deny the devil.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LADY FAULCONBRIDGE</li>
  <li class="number">King Richard Coeur-de-lion was thy father:</li>
  <li>By long and vehement suit I was seduced</li>
  <li>To make room for him in my husband's bed:</li>
  <li>Heaven lay not my transgression to my charge!</li>
  <li>Thou art the issue of my dear offence,</li>
  <li class="number">Which was so strongly urged past my defence.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Now, by this light, were I to get again,</li>
  <li>Madam, I would not wish a better father.</li>
  <li>Some sins do bear their privilege on earth,</li>
  <li>And so doth yours; your fault was not your folly:</li>
  <li class="number">Needs must you lay your heart at his dispose,</li>
  <li>Subjected tribute to commanding love,</li>
  <li>Against whose fury and unmatched force</li>
  <li>The aweless lion could not wage the fight,</li>
  <li>Nor keep his princely heart from Richard's hand.</li>
  <li class="number">He that perforce robs lions of their hearts</li>
  <li>May easily win a woman's. Ay, my mother,</li>
  <li>With all my heart I thank thee for my father!</li>
  <li>Who lives and dares but say thou didst not well</li>
  <li>When I was got, I'll send his soul to hell.</li>
  <li class="number">Come, lady, I will show thee to my kin;</li>
  <li>And they shall say, when Richard me begot,</li>
  <li>If thou hadst said him nay, it had been sin:</li>
  <li>Who says it was, he lies; I say 'twas not.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Exeunt</div>

</section>

</section>

<section class="act">

<h2>ACT II</h2>

<section class="scene">

<h3>SCENE I.  France. Before Angiers.</h3>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter AUSTRIA and forces, drums, etc. on one side:
on the other KING PHILIP and his power; LEWIS,
ARTHUR, CONSTANCE and attendants</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LEWIS</li>
  <li>Before Angiers well met, brave Austria.</li>
  <li>Arthur, that great forerunner of thy blood,</li>
  <li>Richard, that robb'd the lion of his heart</li>
  <li>And fought the holy wars in Palestine,</li>
  <li class="number">By this brave duke came early to his grave:</li>
  <li>And for amends to his posterity,</li>
  <li>At our importance hither is he come,</li>
  <li>To spread his colours, boy, in thy behalf,</li>
  <li>And to rebuke the usurpation</li>
  <li class="number">Of thy unnatural uncle, English John:</li>
  <li>Embrace him, love him, give him welcome hither.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">ARTHUR</li>
  <li>God shall forgive you Coeur-de-lion's death</li>
  <li>The rather that you give his offspring life,</li>
  <li>Shadowing their right under your wings of war:</li>
  <li class="number">I give you welcome with a powerless hand,</li>
  <li>But with a heart full of unstained love:</li>
  <li>Welcome before the gates of Angiers, duke.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LEWIS</li>
  <li>A noble boy! Who would not do thee right?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">AUSTRIA</li>
  <li>Upon thy cheek lay I this zealous kiss,</li>
  <li class="number">As seal to this indenture of my love,</li>
  <li>That to my home I will no more return,</li>
  <li>Till Angiers and the right thou hast in France,</li>
  <li>Together with that pale, that white-faced shore,</li>
  <li>Whose foot spurns back the ocean's roaring tides</li>
  <li class="number">And coops from other lands her islanders,</li>
  <li>Even till that England, hedged in with the main,</li>
  <li>That water-walled bulwark, still secure</li>
  <li>And confident from foreign purposes,</li>
  <li>Even till that utmost corner of the west</li>
  <li class="number">Salute thee for her king: till then, fair boy,</li>
  <li>Will I not think of home, but follow arms.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>O, take his mother's thanks, a widow's thanks,</li>
  <li>Till your strong hand shall help to give him strength</li>
  <li>To make a more requital to your love!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">AUSTRIA</li>
  <li class="number">The peace of heaven is theirs that lift their swords</li>
  <li>In such a just and charitable war.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>Well then, to work: our cannon shall be bent</li>
  <li>Against the brows of this resisting town.</li>
  <li>Call for our chiefest men of discipline,</li>
  <li class="number">To cull the plots of best advantages:</li>
  <li>We'll lay before this town our royal bones,</li>
  <li>Wade to the market-place in Frenchmen's blood,</li>
  <li>But we will make it subject to this boy.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>Stay for an answer to your embassy,</li>
  <li class="number">Lest unadvised you stain your swords with blood:</li>
  <li>My Lord Chatillon may from England bring,</li>
  <li>That right in peace which here we urge in war,</li>
  <li>And then we shall repent each drop of blood</li>
  <li>That hot rash haste so indirectly shed.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter CHATILLON</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li class="number">A wonder, lady! lo, upon thy wish,</li>
  <li>Our messenger Chatillon is arrived!</li>
  <li>What England says, say briefly, gentle lord;</li>
  <li>We coldly pause for thee; Chatillon, speak.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CHATILLON</li>
  <li>Then turn your forces from this paltry siege</li>
  <li class="number">And stir them up against a mightier task.</li>
  <li>England, impatient of your just demands,</li>
  <li>Hath put himself in arms: the adverse winds,</li>
  <li>Whose leisure I have stay'd, have given him time</li>
  <li>To land his legions all as soon as I;</li>
  <li class="number">His marches are expedient to this town,</li>
  <li>His forces strong, his soldiers confident.</li>
  <li>With him along is come the mother-queen,</li>
  <li>An Ate, stirring him to blood and strife;</li>
  <li>With her her niece, the Lady Blanch of Spain;</li>
  <li class="number">With them a bastard of the king's deceased,</li>
  <li>And all the unsettled humours of the land,</li>
  <li>Rash, inconsiderate, fiery voluntaries,</li>
  <li>With ladies' faces and fierce dragons' spleens,</li>
  <li>Have sold their fortunes at their native homes,</li>
  <li class="number">Bearing their birthrights proudly on their backs,</li>
  <li>To make hazard of new fortunes here:</li>
  <li>In brief, a braver choice of dauntless spirits</li>
  <li>Than now the English bottoms have waft o'er</li>
  <li>Did nearer float upon the swelling tide,</li>
  <li class="number">To do offence and scath in Christendom.</li>
  <li class="stage-direction">Drum beats</li>
  <li>The interruption of their churlish drums</li>
  <li>Cuts off more circumstance: they are at hand,</li>
  <li>To parley or to fight; therefore prepare.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>How much unlook'd for is this expedition!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">AUSTRIA</li>
  <li class="number">By how much unexpected, by so much</li>
  <li>We must awake endavour for defence;</li>
  <li>For courage mounteth with occasion:</li>
  <li>Let them be welcome then: we are prepared.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter KING JOHN, QUEEN ELINOR, BLANCH, the BASTARD,
Lords, and forces</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Peace be to France, if France in peace permit</li>
  <li class="number">Our just and lineal entrance to our own;</li>
  <li>If not, bleed France, and peace ascend to heaven,</li>
  <li>Whiles we, God's wrathful agent, do correct</li>
  <li>Their proud contempt that beats His peace to heaven.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>Peace be to England, if that war return</li>
  <li class="number">From France to England, there to live in peace.</li>
  <li>England we love; and for that England's sake</li>
  <li>With burden of our armour here we sweat.</li>
  <li>This toil of ours should be a work of thine;</li>
  <li>But thou from loving England art so far,</li>
  <li class="number">That thou hast under-wrought his lawful king</li>
  <li>Cut off the sequence of posterity,</li>
  <li>Out-faced infant state and done a rape</li>
  <li>Upon the maiden virtue of the crown.</li>
  <li>Look here upon thy brother Geffrey's face;</li>
  <li class="number">These eyes, these brows, were moulded out of his:</li>
  <li>This little abstract doth contain that large</li>
  <li>Which died in Geffrey, and the hand of time</li>
  <li>Shall draw this brief into as huge a volume.</li>
  <li>That Geffrey was thy elder brother born,</li>
  <li class="number">And this his son; England was Geffrey's right</li>
  <li>And this is Geffrey's: in the name of God</li>
  <li>How comes it then that thou art call'd a king,</li>
  <li>When living blood doth in these temples beat,</li>
  <li>Which owe the crown that thou o'ermasterest?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li class="number">From whom hast thou this great commission, France,</li>
  <li>To draw my answer from thy articles?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>From that supernal judge, that stirs good thoughts</li>
  <li>In any breast of strong authority,</li>
  <li>To look into the blots and stains of right:</li>
  <li class="number">That judge hath made me guardian to this boy:</li>
  <li>Under whose warrant I impeach thy wrong</li>
  <li>And by whose help I mean to chastise it.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Alack, thou dost usurp authority.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>Excuse; it is to beat usurping down.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">QUEEN ELINOR</li>
  <li class="number">Who is it thou dost call usurper, France?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>Let me make answer; thy usurping son.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">QUEEN ELINOR</li>
  <li>Out, insolent! thy bastard shall be king,</li>
  <li>That thou mayst be a queen, and cheque the world!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>My bed was ever to thy son as true</li>
  <li class="number">As thine was to thy husband; and this boy</li>
  <li>Liker in feature to his father Geffrey</li>
  <li>Than thou and John in manners; being as like</li>
  <li>As rain to water, or devil to his dam.</li>
  <li>My boy a bastard! By my soul, I think</li>
  <li class="number">His father never was so true begot:</li>
  <li>It cannot be, an if thou wert his mother.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">QUEEN ELINOR</li>
  <li>There's a good mother, boy, that blots thy father.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>There's a good grandam, boy, that would blot thee.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">AUSTRIA</li>
  <li>Peace!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li class="number">Hear the crier.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">AUSTRIA</li>
  <li>What the devil art thou?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>One that will play the devil, sir, with you,</li>
  <li>An a' may catch your hide and you alone:</li>
  <li>You are the hare of whom the proverb goes,</li>
  <li class="number">Whose valour plucks dead lions by the beard;</li>
  <li>I'll smoke your skin-coat, an I catch you right;</li>
  <li>Sirrah, look to't; i' faith, I will, i' faith.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BLANCH</li>
  <li>O, well did he become that lion's robe</li>
  <li>That did disrobe the lion of that robe!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li class="number">It lies as sightly on the back of him</li>
  <li>As great Alcides' shows upon an ass:</li>
  <li>But, ass, I'll take that burthen from your back,</li>
  <li>Or lay on that shall make your shoulders crack.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">AUSTRIA</li>
  <li>What craker is this same that deafs our ears</li>
  <li class="number">With this abundance of superfluous breath?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>Lewis, determine what we shall do straight.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LEWIS</li>
  <li>Women and fools, break off your conference.</li>
  <li>King John, this is the very sum of all;</li>
  <li>England and Ireland, Anjou, Touraine, Maine,</li>
  <li class="number">In right of Arthur do I claim of thee:</li>
  <li>Wilt thou resign them and lay down thy arms?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>My life as soon: I do defy thee, France.</li>
  <li>Arthur of Bretagne, yield thee to my hand;</li>
  <li>And out of my dear love I'll give thee more</li>
  <li class="number">Than e'er the coward hand of France can win:</li>
  <li>Submit thee, boy.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">QUEEN ELINOR</li>
  <li>Come to thy grandam, child.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>Do, child, go to it grandam, child:</li>
  <li>Give grandam kingdom, and it grandam will</li>
  <li class="number">Give it a plum, a cherry, and a fig:</li>
  <li>There's a good grandam.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">ARTHUR</li>
  <li>Good my mother, peace!</li>
  <li>I would that I were low laid in my grave:</li>
  <li>I am not worth this coil that's made for me.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">QUEEN ELINOR</li>
  <li class="number">His mother shames him so, poor boy, he weeps.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>Now shame upon you, whether she does or no!</li>
  <li>His grandam's wrongs, and not his mother's shames,</li>
  <li>Draws those heaven-moving pearls from his poor eyes,</li>
  <li>Which heaven shall take in nature of a fee;</li>
  <li class="number">Ay, with these crystal beads heaven shall be bribed</li>
  <li>To do him justice and revenge on you.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">QUEEN ELINOR</li>
  <li>Thou monstrous slanderer of heaven and earth!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>Thou monstrous injurer of heaven and earth!</li>
  <li>Call not me slanderer; thou and thine usurp</li>
  <li class="number">The dominations, royalties and rights</li>
  <li>Of this oppressed boy: this is thy eld'st son's son,</li>
  <li>Infortunate in nothing but in thee:</li>
  <li>Thy sins are visited in this poor child;</li>
  <li>The canon of the law is laid on him,</li>
  <li class="number">Being but the second generation</li>
  <li>Removed from thy sin-conceiving womb.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Bedlam, have done.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>I have but this to say,</li>
  <li>That he is not only plagued for her sin,</li>
  <li class="number">But God hath made her sin and her the plague</li>
  <li>On this removed issue, plague for her</li>
  <li>And with her plague; her sin his injury,</li>
  <li>Her injury the beadle to her sin,</li>
  <li>All punish'd in the person of this child,</li>
  <li class="number">And all for her; a plague upon her!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">QUEEN ELINOR</li>
  <li>Thou unadvised scold, I can produce</li>
  <li>A will that bars the title of thy son.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>Ay, who doubts that? a will! a wicked will:</li>
  <li>A woman's will; a canker'd grandam's will!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li class="number">Peace, lady! pause, or be more temperate:</li>
  <li>It ill beseems this presence to cry aim</li>
  <li>To these ill-tuned repetitions.</li>
  <li>Some trumpet summon hither to the walls</li>
  <li>These men of Angiers: let us hear them speak</li>
  <li class="number">Whose title they admit, Arthur's or John's.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Trumpet sounds. Enter certain Citizens upon the walls</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">First Citizen</li>
  <li>Who is it that hath warn'd us to the walls?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>'Tis France, for England.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>England, for itself.</li>
  <li>You men of Angiers, and my loving subjects — </li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li class="number">You loving men of Angiers, Arthur's subjects,</li>
  <li>Our trumpet call'd you to this gentle parle — </li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>For our advantage; therefore hear us first.</li>
  <li>These flags of France, that are advanced here</li>
  <li>Before the eye and prospect of your town,</li>
  <li class="number">Have hither march'd to your endamagement:</li>
  <li>The cannons have their bowels full of wrath,</li>
  <li>And ready mounted are they to spit forth</li>
  <li>Their iron indignation 'gainst your walls:</li>
  <li>All preparation for a bloody siege</li>
  <li class="number">All merciless proceeding by these French</li>
  <li>Confronts your city's eyes, your winking gates;</li>
  <li>And but for our approach those sleeping stones,</li>
  <li>That as a waist doth girdle you about,</li>
  <li>By the compulsion of their ordinance</li>
  <li class="number">By this time from their fixed beds of lime</li>
  <li>Had been dishabited, and wide havoc made</li>
  <li>For bloody power to rush upon your peace.</li>
  <li>But on the sight of us your lawful king,</li>
  <li>Who painfully with much expedient march</li>
  <li class="number">Have brought a countercheque before your gates,</li>
  <li>To save unscratch'd your city's threatened cheeks,</li>
  <li>Behold, the French amazed vouchsafe a parle;</li>
  <li>And now, instead of bullets wrapp'd in fire,</li>
  <li>To make a shaking fever in your walls,</li>
  <li class="number">They shoot but calm words folded up in smoke,</li>
  <li>To make a faithless error in your ears:</li>
  <li>Which trust accordingly, kind citizens,</li>
  <li>And let us in, your king, whose labour'd spirits,</li>
  <li>Forwearied in this action of swift speed,</li>
  <li class="number">Crave harbourage within your city walls.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>When I have said, make answer to us both.</li>
  <li>Lo, in this right hand, whose protection</li>
  <li>Is most divinely vow'd upon the right</li>
  <li>Of him it holds, stands young Plantagenet,</li>
  <li class="number">Son to the elder brother of this man,</li>
  <li>And king o'er him and all that he enjoys:</li>
  <li>For this down-trodden equity, we tread</li>
  <li>In warlike march these greens before your town,</li>
  <li>Being no further enemy to you</li>
  <li class="number">Than the constraint of hospitable zeal</li>
  <li>In the relief of this oppressed child</li>
  <li>Religiously provokes. Be pleased then</li>
  <li>To pay that duty which you truly owe</li>
  <li>To that owes it, namely this young prince:</li>
  <li class="number">And then our arms, like to a muzzled bear,</li>
  <li>Save in aspect, hath all offence seal'd up;</li>
  <li>Our cannons' malice vainly shall be spent</li>
  <li>Against the invulnerable clouds of heaven;</li>
  <li>And with a blessed and unvex'd retire,</li>
  <li class="number">With unhack'd swords and helmets all unbruised,</li>
  <li>We will bear home that lusty blood again</li>
  <li>Which here we came to spout against your town,</li>
  <li>And leave your children, wives and you in peace.</li>
  <li>But if you fondly pass our proffer'd offer,</li>
  <li class="number">'Tis not the roundure of your old-faced walls</li>
  <li>Can hide you from our messengers of war,</li>
  <li>Though all these English and their discipline</li>
  <li>Were harbour'd in their rude circumference.</li>
  <li>Then tell us, shall your city call us lord,</li>
  <li class="number">In that behalf which we have challenged it?</li>
  <li>Or shall we give the signal to our rage</li>
  <li>And stalk in blood to our possession?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">First Citizen</li>
  <li>In brief, we are the king of England's subjects:</li>
  <li>For him, and in his right, we hold this town.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li class="number">Acknowledge then the king, and let me in.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">First Citizen</li>
  <li>That can we not; but he that proves the king,</li>
  <li>To him will we prove loyal: till that time</li>
  <li>Have we ramm'd up our gates against the world.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Doth not the crown of England prove the king?</li>
  <li class="number">And if not that, I bring you witnesses,</li>
  <li>Twice fifteen thousand hearts of England's breed —  </li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Bastards, and else.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>To verify our title with their lives.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>As many and as well-born bloods as those —  </li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li class="number">Some bastards too.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>Stand in his face to contradict his claim.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">First Citizen</li>
  <li>Till you compound whose right is worthiest,</li>
  <li>We for the worthiest hold the right from both.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Then God forgive the sin of all those souls</li>
  <li class="number">That to their everlasting residence,</li>
  <li>Before the dew of evening fall, shall fleet,</li>
  <li>In dreadful trial of our kingdom's king!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>Amen, amen! Mount, chevaliers! to arms!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Saint George, that swinged the dragon, and e'er since</li>
  <li class="number">Sits on his horseback at mine hostess' door,</li>
  <li>Teach us some fence!</li>
  <li class="stage-direction">To AUSTRIA</li>
  <li>Sirrah, were I at home,</li>
  <li>At your den, sirrah, with your lioness</li>
  <li>I would set an ox-head to your lion's hide,</li>
  <li class="number">And make a monster of you.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">AUSTRIA</li>
  <li>Peace! no more.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>O tremble, for you hear the lion roar.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Up higher to the plain; where we'll set forth</li>
  <li>In best appointment all our regiments.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li class="number">Speed then, to take advantage of the field.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>It shall be so; and at the other hill</li>
  <li>Command the rest to stand. God and our right!</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Exeunt</div>

<div class="stage-direction">Here after excursions, enter the Herald of France,
with trumpets, to the gates</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">French Herald</li>
  <li>You men of Angiers, open wide your gates,</li>
  <li>And let young Arthur, Duke of Bretagne, in,</li>
  <li class="number">Who by the hand of France this day hath made</li>
  <li>Much work for tears in many an English mother,</li>
  <li>Whose sons lie scattered on the bleeding ground;</li>
  <li>Many a widow's husband grovelling lies,</li>
  <li>Coldly embracing the discolour'd earth;</li>
  <li class="number">And victory, with little loss, doth play</li>
  <li>Upon the dancing banners of the French,</li>
  <li>Who are at hand, triumphantly display'd,</li>
  <li>To enter conquerors and to proclaim</li>
  <li>Arthur of Bretagne England's king and yours.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter English Herald, with trumpet</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">English Herald</li>
  <li class="number">Rejoice, you men of Angiers, ring your bells:</li>
  <li>King John, your king and England's doth approach,</li>
  <li>Commander of this hot malicious day:</li>
  <li>Their armours, that march'd hence so silver-bright,</li>
  <li>Hither return all gilt with Frenchmen's blood;</li>
  <li class="number">There stuck no plume in any English crest</li>
  <li>That is removed by a staff of France;</li>
  <li>Our colours do return in those same hands</li>
  <li>That did display them when we first march'd forth;</li>
  <li>And, like a troop of jolly huntsmen, come</li>
  <li class="number">Our lusty English, all with purpled hands,</li>
  <li>Dyed in the dying slaughter of their foes:</li>
  <li>Open your gates and gives the victors way.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">First Citizen</li>
  <li>Heralds, from off our towers we might behold,</li>
  <li>From first to last, the onset and retire</li>
  <li class="number">Of both your armies; whose equality</li>
  <li>By our best eyes cannot be censured:</li>
  <li>Blood hath bought blood and blows have answered blows;</li>
  <li>Strength match'd with strength, and power confronted power:</li>
  <li>Both are alike; and both alike we like.</li>
  <li class="number">One must prove greatest: while they weigh so even,</li>
  <li>We hold our town for neither, yet for both.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Re-enter KING JOHN and KING PHILIP, with their
powers, severally</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>France, hast thou yet more blood to cast away?</li>
  <li>Say, shall the current of our right run on?</li>
  <li>Whose passage, vex'd with thy impediment,</li>
  <li class="number">Shall leave his native channel and o'erswell</li>
  <li>With course disturb'd even thy confining shores,</li>
  <li>Unless thou let his silver water keep</li>
  <li>A peaceful progress to the ocean.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>England, thou hast not saved one drop of blood,</li>
  <li class="number">In this hot trial, more than we of France;</li>
  <li>Rather, lost more. And by this hand I swear,</li>
  <li>That sways the earth this climate overlooks,</li>
  <li>Before we will lay down our just-borne arms,</li>
  <li>We'll put thee down, 'gainst whom these arms we bear,</li>
  <li class="number">Or add a royal number to the dead,</li>
  <li>Gracing the scroll that tells of this war's loss</li>
  <li>With slaughter coupled to the name of kings.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Ha, majesty! how high thy glory towers,</li>
  <li>When the rich blood of kings is set on fire!</li>
  <li class="number">O, now doth Death line his dead chaps with steel;</li>
  <li>The swords of soldiers are his teeth, his fangs;</li>
  <li>And now he feasts, mousing the flesh of men,</li>
  <li>In undetermined differences of kings.</li>
  <li>Why stand these royal fronts amazed thus?</li>
  <li class="number">Cry, 'havoc!' kings; back to the stained field,</li>
  <li>You equal potents, fiery kindled spirits!</li>
  <li>Then let confusion of one part confirm</li>
  <li>The other's peace: till then, blows, blood and death!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Whose party do the townsmen yet admit?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li class="number">Speak, citizens, for England; who's your king?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">First Citizen</li>
  <li>The king of England; when we know the king.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>Know him in us, that here hold up his right.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>In us, that are our own great deputy</li>
  <li>And bear possession of our person here,</li>
  <li class="number">Lord of our presence, Angiers, and of you.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">First Citizen</li>
  <li>A greater power then we denies all this;</li>
  <li>And till it be undoubted, we do lock</li>
  <li>Our former scruple in our strong-barr'd gates;</li>
  <li>King'd of our fears, until our fears, resolved,</li>
  <li class="number">Be by some certain king purged and deposed.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>By heaven, these scroyles of Angiers flout you, kings,</li>
  <li>And stand securely on their battlements,</li>
  <li>As in a theatre, whence they gape and point</li>
  <li>At your industrious scenes and acts of death.</li>
  <li class="number">Your royal presences be ruled by me:</li>
  <li>Do like the mutines of Jerusalem,</li>
  <li>Be friends awhile and both conjointly bend</li>
  <li>Your sharpest deeds of malice on this town:</li>
  <li>By east and west let France and England mount</li>
  <li class="number">Their battering cannon charged to the mouths,</li>
  <li>Till their soul-fearing clamours have brawl'd down</li>
  <li>The flinty ribs of this contemptuous city:</li>
  <li>I'ld play incessantly upon these jades,</li>
  <li>Even till unfenced desolation</li>
  <li class="number">Leave them as naked as the vulgar air.</li>
  <li>That done, dissever your united strengths,</li>
  <li>And part your mingled colours once again;</li>
  <li>Turn face to face and bloody point to point;</li>
  <li>Then, in a moment, Fortune shall cull forth</li>
  <li class="number">Out of one side her happy minion,</li>
  <li>To whom in favour she shall give the day,</li>
  <li>And kiss him with a glorious victory.</li>
  <li>How like you this wild counsel, mighty states?</li>
  <li>Smacks it not something of the policy?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li class="number">Now, by the sky that hangs above our heads,</li>
  <li>I like it well. France, shall we knit our powers</li>
  <li>And lay this Angiers even to the ground;</li>
  <li>Then after fight who shall be king of it?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>An if thou hast the mettle of a king,</li>
  <li class="number">Being wronged as we are by this peevish town,</li>
  <li>Turn thou the mouth of thy artillery,</li>
  <li>As we will ours, against these saucy walls;</li>
  <li>And when that we have dash'd them to the ground,</li>
  <li>Why then defy each other and pell-mell</li>
  <li class="number">Make work upon ourselves, for heaven or hell.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>Let it be so. Say, where will you assault?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>We from the west will send destruction</li>
  <li>Into this city's bosom.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">AUSTRIA</li>
  <li>I from the north.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li class="number">Our thunder from the south</li>
  <li>Shall rain their drift of bullets on this town.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>O prudent discipline! From north to south:</li>
  <li>Austria and France shoot in each other's mouth:</li>
  <li>I'll stir them to it. Come, away, away!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">First Citizen</li>
  <li class="number">Hear us, great kings: vouchsafe awhile to stay,</li>
  <li>And I shall show you peace and fair-faced league;</li>
  <li>Win you this city without stroke or wound;</li>
  <li>Rescue those breathing lives to die in beds,</li>
  <li>That here come sacrifices for the field:</li>
  <li class="number">Persever not, but hear me, mighty kings.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Speak on with favour; we are bent to hear.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">First Citizen</li>
  <li>That daughter there of Spain, the Lady Blanch,</li>
  <li>Is niece to England: look upon the years</li>
  <li>Of Lewis the Dauphin and that lovely maid:</li>
  <li class="number">If lusty love should go in quest of beauty,</li>
  <li>Where should he find it fairer than in Blanch?</li>
  <li>If zealous love should go in search of virtue,</li>
  <li>Where should he find it purer than in Blanch?</li>
  <li>If love ambitious sought a match of birth,</li>
  <li class="number">Whose veins bound richer blood than Lady Blanch?</li>
  <li>Such as she is, in beauty, virtue, birth,</li>
  <li>Is the young Dauphin every way complete:</li>
  <li>If not complete of, say he is not she;</li>
  <li>And she again wants nothing, to name want,</li>
  <li class="number">If want it be not that she is not he:</li>
  <li>He is the half part of a blessed man,</li>
  <li>Left to be finished by such as she;</li>
  <li>And she a fair divided excellence,</li>
  <li>Whose fulness of perfection lies in him.</li>
  <li class="number">O, two such silver currents, when they join,</li>
  <li>Do glorify the banks that bound them in;</li>
  <li>And two such shores to two such streams made one,</li>
  <li>Two such controlling bounds shall you be, kings,</li>
  <li>To these two princes, if you marry them.</li>
  <li class="number">This union shall do more than battery can</li>
  <li>To our fast-closed gates; for at this match,</li>
  <li>With swifter spleen than powder can enforce,</li>
  <li>The mouth of passage shall we fling wide ope,</li>
  <li>And give you entrance: but without this match,</li>
  <li class="number">The sea enraged is not half so deaf,</li>
  <li>Lions more confident, mountains and rocks</li>
  <li>More free from motion, no, not Death himself</li>
  <li>In moral fury half so peremptory,</li>
  <li>As we to keep this city.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li class="number">Here's a stay</li>
  <li>That shakes the rotten carcass of old Death</li>
  <li>Out of his rags! Here's a large mouth, indeed,</li>
  <li>That spits forth death and mountains, rocks and seas,</li>
  <li>Talks as familiarly of roaring lions</li>
  <li class="number">As maids of thirteen do of puppy-dogs!</li>
  <li>What cannoneer begot this lusty blood?</li>
  <li>He speaks plain cannon fire, and smoke and bounce;</li>
  <li>He gives the bastinado with his tongue:</li>
  <li>Our ears are cudgell'd; not a word of his</li>
  <li class="number">But buffets better than a fist of France:</li>
  <li>Zounds! I was never so bethump'd with words</li>
  <li>Since I first call'd my brother's father dad.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">QUEEN ELINOR</li>
  <li>Son, list to this conjunction, make this match;</li>
  <li>Give with our niece a dowry large enough:</li>
  <li class="number">For by this knot thou shalt so surely tie</li>
  <li>Thy now unsured assurance to the crown,</li>
  <li>That yon green boy shall have no sun to ripe</li>
  <li>The bloom that promiseth a mighty fruit.</li>
  <li>I see a yielding in the looks of France;</li>
  <li class="number">Mark, how they whisper: urge them while their souls</li>
  <li>Are capable of this ambition,</li>
  <li>Lest zeal, now melted by the windy breath</li>
  <li>Of soft petitions, pity and remorse,</li>
  <li>Cool and congeal again to what it was.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">First Citizen</li>
  <li class="number">Why answer not the double majesties</li>
  <li>This friendly treaty of our threaten'd town?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>Speak England first, that hath been forward first</li>
  <li>To speak unto this city: what say you?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>If that the Dauphin there, thy princely son,</li>
  <li class="number">Can in this book of beauty read 'I love,'</li>
  <li>Her dowry shall weigh equal with a queen:</li>
  <li>For Anjou and fair Touraine, Maine, Poictiers,</li>
  <li>And all that we upon this side the sea,</li>
  <li>Except this city now by us besieged,</li>
  <li class="number">Find liable to our crown and dignity,</li>
  <li>Shall gild her bridal bed and make her rich</li>
  <li>In titles, honours and promotions,</li>
  <li>As she in beauty, education, blood,</li>
  <li>Holds hand with any princess of the world.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li class="number">What say'st thou, boy? look in the lady's face.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LEWIS</li>
  <li>I do, my lord; and in her eye I find</li>
  <li>A wonder, or a wondrous miracle,</li>
  <li>The shadow of myself form'd in her eye:</li>
  <li>Which being but the shadow of your son,</li>
  <li class="number">Becomes a sun and makes your son a shadow:</li>
  <li>I do protest I never loved myself</li>
  <li>Till now infixed I beheld myself</li>
  <li>Drawn in the flattering table of her eye.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Whispers with BLANCH</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Drawn in the flattering table of her eye!</li>
  <li class="number">Hang'd in the frowning wrinkle of her brow!</li>
  <li>And quarter'd in her heart! he doth espy</li>
  <li>Himself love's traitor: this is pity now,</li>
  <li>That hang'd and drawn and quartered, there should be</li>
  <li>In such a love so vile a lout as he.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BLANCH</li>
  <li class="number">My uncle's will in this respect is mine:</li>
  <li>If he see aught in you that makes him like,</li>
  <li>That any thing he sees, which moves his liking,</li>
  <li>I can with ease translate it to my will;</li>
  <li>Or if you will, to speak more properly,</li>
  <li class="number">I will enforce it easily to my love.</li>
  <li>Further I will not flatter you, my lord,</li>
  <li>That all I see in you is worthy love,</li>
  <li>Than this; that nothing do I see in you,</li>
  <li>Though churlish thoughts themselves should be your judge,</li>
  <li class="number">That I can find should merit any hate.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>What say these young ones? What say you my niece?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BLANCH</li>
  <li>That she is bound in honour still to do</li>
  <li>What you in wisdom still vouchsafe to say.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Speak then, prince Dauphin; can you love this lady?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LEWIS</li>
  <li class="number">Nay, ask me if I can refrain from love;</li>
  <li>For I do love her most unfeignedly.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Then do I give Volquessen, Touraine, Maine,</li>
  <li>Poictiers and Anjou, these five provinces,</li>
  <li>With her to thee; and this addition more,</li>
  <li class="number">Full thirty thousand marks of English coin.</li>
  <li>Philip of France, if thou be pleased withal,</li>
  <li>Command thy son and daughter to join hands.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>It likes us well; young princes, close your hands.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">AUSTRIA</li>
  <li>And your lips too; for I am well assured</li>
  <li class="number">That I did so when I was first assured.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>Now, citizens of Angiers, ope your gates,</li>
  <li>Let in that amity which you have made;</li>
  <li>For at Saint Mary's chapel presently</li>
  <li>The rites of marriage shall be solemnized.</li>
  <li class="number">Is not the Lady Constance in this troop?</li>
  <li>I know she is not, for this match made up</li>
  <li>Her presence would have interrupted much:</li>
  <li>Where is she and her son? tell me, who knows.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LEWIS</li>
  <li>She is sad and passionate at your highness' tent.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li class="number">And, by my faith, this league that we have made</li>
  <li>Will give her sadness very little cure.</li>
  <li>Brother of England, how may we content</li>
  <li>This widow lady? In her right we came;</li>
  <li>Which we, God knows, have turn'd another way,</li>
  <li class="number">To our own vantage.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>We will heal up all;</li>
  <li>For we'll create young Arthur Duke of Bretagne</li>
  <li>And Earl of Richmond; and this rich fair town</li>
  <li>We make him lord of. Call the Lady Constance;</li>
  <li class="number">Some speedy messenger bid her repair</li>
  <li>To our solemnity: I trust we shall,</li>
  <li>If not fill up the measure of her will,</li>
  <li>Yet in some measure satisfy her so</li>
  <li>That we shall stop her exclamation.</li>
  <li class="number">Go we, as well as haste will suffer us,</li>
  <li>To this unlook'd for, unprepared pomp.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Exeunt all but the BASTARD</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Mad world! mad kings! mad composition!</li>
  <li>John, to stop Arthur's title in the whole,</li>
  <li>Hath willingly departed with a part,</li>
  <li class="number">And France, whose armour conscience buckled on,</li>
  <li>Whom zeal and charity brought to the field</li>
  <li>As God's own soldier, rounded in the ear</li>
  <li>With that same purpose-changer, that sly devil,</li>
  <li>That broker, that still breaks the pate of faith,</li>
  <li class="number">That daily break-vow, he that wins of all,</li>
  <li>Of kings, of beggars, old men, young men, maids,</li>
  <li>Who, having no external thing to lose</li>
  <li>But the word 'maid,' cheats the poor maid of that,</li>
  <li>That smooth-faced gentleman, tickling Commodity,</li>
  <li class="number">Commodity, the bias of the world,</li>
  <li>The world, who of itself is peised well,</li>
  <li>Made to run even upon even ground,</li>
  <li>Till this advantage, this vile-drawing bias,</li>
  <li>This sway of motion, this Commodity,</li>
  <li class="number">Makes it take head from all indifferency,</li>
  <li>From all direction, purpose, course, intent:</li>
  <li>And this same bias, this Commodity,</li>
  <li>This bawd, this broker, this all-changing word,</li>
  <li>Clapp'd on the outward eye of fickle France,</li>
  <li class="number">Hath drawn him from his own determined aid,</li>
  <li>From a resolved and honourable war,</li>
  <li>To a most base and vile-concluded peace.</li>
  <li>And why rail I on this Commodity?</li>
  <li>But for because he hath not woo'd me yet:</li>
  <li class="number">Not that I have the power to clutch my hand,</li>
  <li>When his fair angels would salute my palm;</li>
  <li>But for my hand, as unattempted yet,</li>
  <li>Like a poor beggar, raileth on the rich.</li>
  <li>Well, whiles I am a beggar, I will rail</li>
  <li class="number">And say there is no sin but to be rich;</li>
  <li>And being rich, my virtue then shall be</li>
  <li>To say there is no vice but beggary.</li>
  <li>Since kings break faith upon commodity,</li>
  <li>Gain, be my lord, for I will worship thee.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Exit</div>

</section>

</section>

<section class="act">

<h2>ACT III</h2>

<section class="scene">

<h3>SCENE I.  The French King's pavilion.</h3>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter CONSTANCE, ARTHUR, and SALISBURY</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>Gone to be married! gone to swear a peace!</li>
  <li>False blood to false blood join'd! gone to be friends!</li>
  <li>Shall Lewis have Blanch, and Blanch those provinces?</li>
  <li>It is not so; thou hast misspoke, misheard:</li>
  <li class="number">Be well advised, tell o'er thy tale again:</li>
  <li>It cannot be; thou dost but say 'tis so:</li>
  <li>I trust I may not trust thee; for thy word</li>
  <li>Is but the vain breath of a common man:</li>
  <li>Believe me, I do not believe thee, man;</li>
  <li class="number">I have a king's oath to the contrary.</li>
  <li>Thou shalt be punish'd for thus frighting me,</li>
  <li>For I am sick and capable of fears,</li>
  <li>Oppress'd with wrongs and therefore full of fears,</li>
  <li>A widow, husbandless, subject to fears,</li>
  <li class="number">A woman, naturally born to fears;</li>
  <li>And though thou now confess thou didst but jest,</li>
  <li>With my vex'd spirits I cannot take a truce,</li>
  <li>But they will quake and tremble all this day.</li>
  <li>What dost thou mean by shaking of thy head?</li>
  <li class="number">Why dost thou look so sadly on my son?</li>
  <li>What means that hand upon that breast of thine?</li>
  <li>Why holds thine eye that lamentable rheum,</li>
  <li>Like a proud river peering o'er his bounds?</li>
  <li>Be these sad signs confirmers of thy words?</li>
  <li class="number">Then speak again; not all thy former tale,</li>
  <li>But this one word, whether thy tale be true.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li>As true as I believe you think them false</li>
  <li>That give you cause to prove my saying true.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>O, if thou teach me to believe this sorrow,</li>
  <li class="number">Teach thou this sorrow how to make me die,</li>
  <li>And let belief and life encounter so</li>
  <li>As doth the fury of two desperate men</li>
  <li>Which in the very meeting fall and die.</li>
  <li>Lewis marry Blanch! O boy, then where art thou?</li>
  <li class="number">France friend with England, what becomes of me?</li>
  <li>Fellow, be gone: I cannot brook thy sight:</li>
  <li>This news hath made thee a most ugly man.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li>What other harm have I, good lady, done,</li>
  <li>But spoke the harm that is by others done?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li class="number">Which harm within itself so heinous is</li>
  <li>As it makes harmful all that speak of it.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">ARTHUR</li>
  <li>I do beseech you, madam, be content.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>If thou, that bid'st me be content, wert grim,</li>
  <li>Ugly and slanderous to thy mother's womb,</li>
  <li class="number">Full of unpleasing blots and sightless stains,</li>
  <li>Lame, foolish, crooked, swart, prodigious,</li>
  <li>Patch'd with foul moles and eye-offending marks,</li>
  <li>I would not care, I then would be content,</li>
  <li>For then I should not love thee, no, nor thou</li>
  <li class="number">Become thy great birth nor deserve a crown.</li>
  <li>But thou art fair, and at thy birth, dear boy,</li>
  <li>Nature and Fortune join'd to make thee great:</li>
  <li>Of Nature's gifts thou mayst with lilies boast,</li>
  <li>And with the half-blown rose. But Fortune, O,</li>
  <li class="number">She is corrupted, changed and won from thee;</li>
  <li>She adulterates hourly with thine uncle John,</li>
  <li>And with her golden hand hath pluck'd on France</li>
  <li>To tread down fair respect of sovereignty,</li>
  <li>And made his majesty the bawd to theirs.</li>
  <li class="number">France is a bawd to Fortune and King John,</li>
  <li>That strumpet Fortune, that usurping John!</li>
  <li>Tell me, thou fellow, is not France forsworn?</li>
  <li>Envenom him with words, or get thee gone</li>
  <li>And leave those woes alone which I alone</li>
  <li class="number">Am bound to under-bear.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li>Pardon me, madam,</li>
  <li>I may not go without you to the kings.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>Thou mayst, thou shalt; I will not go with thee:</li>
  <li>I will instruct my sorrows to be proud;</li>
  <li class="number">For grief is proud and makes his owner stoop.</li>
  <li>To me and to the state of my great grief</li>
  <li>Let kings assemble; for my grief's so great</li>
  <li>That no supporter but the huge firm earth</li>
  <li>Can hold it up: here I and sorrows sit;</li>
  <li class="number">Here is my throne, bid kings come bow to it.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Seats herself on the ground</div>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter KING JOHN, KING PHILLIP, LEWIS, BLANCH,
QUEEN ELINOR, the BASTARD, AUSTRIA, and Attendants</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>'Tis true, fair daughter; and this blessed day</li>
  <li>Ever in France shall be kept festival:</li>
  <li>To solemnize this day the glorious sun</li>
  <li>Stays in his course and plays the alchemist,</li>
  <li class="number">Turning with splendor of his precious eye</li>
  <li>The meagre cloddy earth to glittering gold:</li>
  <li>The yearly course that brings this day about</li>
  <li>Shall never see it but a holiday.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>A wicked day, and not a holy day!</li>
  <li class="stage-direction">Rising</li>
  <li class="number">What hath this day deserved? what hath it done,</li>
  <li>That it in golden letters should be set</li>
  <li>Among the high tides in the calendar?</li>
  <li>Nay, rather turn this day out of the week,</li>
  <li>This day of shame, oppression, perjury.</li>
  <li class="number">Or, if it must stand still, let wives with child</li>
  <li>Pray that their burthens may not fall this day,</li>
  <li>Lest that their hopes prodigiously be cross'd:</li>
  <li>But on this day let seamen fear no wreck;</li>
  <li>No bargains break that are not this day made:</li>
  <li class="number">This day, all things begun come to ill end,</li>
  <li>Yea, faith itself to hollow falsehood change!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>By heaven, lady, you shall have no cause</li>
  <li>To curse the fair proceedings of this day:</li>
  <li>Have I not pawn'd to you my majesty?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li class="number">You have beguiled me with a counterfeit</li>
  <li>Resembling majesty, which, being touch'd and tried,</li>
  <li>Proves valueless: you are forsworn, forsworn;</li>
  <li>You came in arms to spill mine enemies' blood,</li>
  <li>But now in arms you strengthen it with yours:</li>
  <li class="number">The grappling vigour and rough frown of war</li>
  <li>Is cold in amity and painted peace,</li>
  <li>And our oppression hath made up this league.</li>
  <li>Arm, arm, you heavens, against these perjured kings!</li>
  <li>A widow cries; be husband to me, heavens!</li>
  <li class="number">Let not the hours of this ungodly day</li>
  <li>Wear out the day in peace; but, ere sunset,</li>
  <li>Set armed discord 'twixt these perjured kings!</li>
  <li>Hear me, O, hear me!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">AUSTRIA</li>
  <li>Lady Constance, peace!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li class="number">War! war! no peace! peace is to me a war</li>
  <li>O Lymoges! O Austria! thou dost shame</li>
  <li>That bloody spoil: thou slave, thou wretch, thou coward!</li>
  <li>Thou little valiant, great in villany!</li>
  <li>Thou ever strong upon the stronger side!</li>
  <li class="number">Thou Fortune's champion that dost never fight</li>
  <li>But when her humorous ladyship is by</li>
  <li>To teach thee safety! thou art perjured too,</li>
  <li>And soothest up greatness. What a fool art thou,</li>
  <li>A ramping fool, to brag and stamp and swear</li>
  <li class="number">Upon my party! Thou cold-blooded slave,</li>
  <li>Hast thou not spoke like thunder on my side,</li>
  <li>Been sworn my soldier, bidding me depend</li>
  <li>Upon thy stars, thy fortune and thy strength,</li>
  <li>And dost thou now fall over to my fores?</li>
  <li class="number">Thou wear a lion's hide! doff it for shame,</li>
  <li>And hang a calf's-skin on those recreant limbs.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">AUSTRIA</li>
  <li>O, that a man should speak those words to me!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>And hang a calf's-skin on those recreant limbs.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">AUSTRIA</li>
  <li>Thou darest not say so, villain, for thy life.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li class="number">And hang a calf's-skin on those recreant limbs.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>We like not this; thou dost forget thyself.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter CARDINAL PANDULPH</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>Here comes the holy legate of the pope.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CARDINAL PANDULPH</li>
  <li>Hail, you anointed deputies of heaven!</li>
  <li>To thee, King John, my holy errand is.</li>
  <li class="number">I Pandulph, of fair Milan cardinal,</li>
  <li>And from Pope Innocent the legate here,</li>
  <li>Do in his name religiously demand</li>
  <li>Why thou against the church, our holy mother,</li>
  <li>So wilfully dost spurn; and force perforce</li>
  <li class="number">Keep Stephen Langton, chosen archbishop</li>
  <li>Of Canterbury, from that holy see?</li>
  <li>This, in our foresaid holy father's name,</li>
  <li>Pope Innocent, I do demand of thee.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>What earthy name to interrogatories</li>
  <li class="number">Can task the free breath of a sacred king?</li>
  <li>Thou canst not, cardinal, devise a name</li>
  <li>So slight, unworthy and ridiculous,</li>
  <li>To charge me to an answer, as the pope.</li>
  <li>Tell him this tale; and from the mouth of England</li>
  <li class="number">Add thus much more, that no Italian priest</li>
  <li>Shall tithe or toll in our dominions;</li>
  <li>But as we, under heaven, are supreme head,</li>
  <li>So under Him that great supremacy,</li>
  <li>Where we do reign, we will alone uphold,</li>
  <li class="number">Without the assistance of a mortal hand:</li>
  <li>So tell the pope, all reverence set apart</li>
  <li>To him and his usurp'd authority.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>Brother of England, you blaspheme in this.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Though you and all the kings of Christendom</li>
  <li class="number">Are led so grossly by this meddling priest,</li>
  <li>Dreading the curse that money may buy out;</li>
  <li>And by the merit of vile gold, dross, dust,</li>
  <li>Purchase corrupted pardon of a man,</li>
  <li>Who in that sale sells pardon from himself,</li>
  <li class="number">Though you and all the rest so grossly led</li>
  <li>This juggling witchcraft with revenue cherish,</li>
  <li>Yet I alone, alone do me oppose</li>
  <li>Against the pope and count his friends my foes.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CARDINAL PANDULPH</li>
  <li>Then, by the lawful power that I have,</li>
  <li class="number">Thou shalt stand cursed and excommunicate.</li>
  <li>And blessed shall he be that doth revolt</li>
  <li>From his allegiance to an heretic;</li>
  <li>And meritorious shall that hand be call'd,</li>
  <li>Canonized and worshipped as a saint,</li>
  <li class="number">That takes away by any secret course</li>
  <li>Thy hateful life.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>O, lawful let it be</li>
  <li>That I have room with Rome to curse awhile!</li>
  <li>Good father cardinal, cry thou amen</li>
  <li class="number">To my keen curses; for without my wrong</li>
  <li>There is no tongue hath power to curse him right.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CARDINAL PANDULPH</li>
  <li>There's law and warrant, lady, for my curse.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>And for mine too: when law can do no right,</li>
  <li>Let it be lawful that law bar no wrong:</li>
  <li class="number">Law cannot give my child his kingdom here,</li>
  <li>For he that holds his kingdom holds the law;</li>
  <li>Therefore, since law itself is perfect wrong,</li>
  <li>How can the law forbid my tongue to curse?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CARDINAL PANDULPH</li>
  <li>Philip of France, on peril of a curse,</li>
  <li class="number">Let go the hand of that arch-heretic;</li>
  <li>And raise the power of France upon his head,</li>
  <li>Unless he do submit himself to Rome.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">QUEEN ELINOR</li>
  <li>Look'st thou pale, France? do not let go thy hand.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>Look to that, devil; lest that France repent,</li>
  <li class="number">And by disjoining hands, hell lose a soul.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">AUSTRIA</li>
  <li>King Philip, listen to the cardinal.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>And hang a calf's-skin on his recreant limbs.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">AUSTRIA</li>
  <li>Well, ruffian, I must pocket up these wrongs, Because — </li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Your breeches best may carry them.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li class="number">Philip, what say'st thou to the cardinal?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>What should he say, but as the cardinal?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LEWIS</li>
  <li>Bethink you, father; for the difference</li>
  <li>Is purchase of a heavy curse from Rome,</li>
  <li>Or the light loss of England for a friend:</li>
  <li class="number">Forego the easier.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BLANCH</li>
  <li>That's the curse of Rome.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>O Lewis, stand fast! the devil tempts thee here</li>
  <li>In likeness of a new untrimmed bride.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BLANCH</li>
  <li>The Lady Constance speaks not from her faith,</li>
  <li class="number">But from her need.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>O, if thou grant my need,</li>
  <li>Which only lives but by the death of faith,</li>
  <li>That need must needs infer this principle,</li>
  <li>That faith would live again by death of need.</li>
  <li class="number">O then, tread down my need, and faith mounts up;</li>
  <li>Keep my need up, and faith is trodden down!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>The king is moved, and answers not to this.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>O, be removed from him, and answer well!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">AUSTRIA</li>
  <li>Do so, King Philip; hang no more in doubt.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li class="number">Hang nothing but a calf's-skin, most sweet lout.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>I am perplex'd, and know not what to say.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CARDINAL PANDULPH</li>
  <li>What canst thou say but will perplex thee more,</li>
  <li>If thou stand excommunicate and cursed?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>Good reverend father, make my person yours,</li>
  <li class="number">And tell me how you would bestow yourself.</li>
  <li>This royal hand and mine are newly knit,</li>
  <li>And the conjunction of our inward souls</li>
  <li>Married in league, coupled and linked together</li>
  <li>With all religious strength of sacred vows;</li>
  <li class="number">The latest breath that gave the sound of words</li>
  <li>Was deep-sworn faith, peace, amity, true love</li>
  <li>Between our kingdoms and our royal selves,</li>
  <li>And even before this truce, but new before,</li>
  <li>No longer than we well could wash our hands</li>
  <li class="number">To clap this royal bargain up of peace,</li>
  <li>Heaven knows, they were besmear'd and over-stain'd</li>
  <li>With slaughter's pencil, where revenge did paint</li>
  <li>The fearful difference of incensed kings:</li>
  <li>And shall these hands, so lately purged of blood,</li>
  <li class="number">So newly join'd in love, so strong in both,</li>
  <li>Unyoke this seizure and this kind regreet?</li>
  <li>Play fast and loose with faith? so jest with heaven,</li>
  <li>Make such unconstant children of ourselves,</li>
  <li>As now again to snatch our palm from palm,</li>
  <li class="number">Unswear faith sworn, and on the marriage-bed</li>
  <li>Of smiling peace to march a bloody host,</li>
  <li>And make a riot on the gentle brow</li>
  <li>Of true sincerity? O, holy sir,</li>
  <li>My reverend father, let it not be so!</li>
  <li class="number">Out of your grace, devise, ordain, impose</li>
  <li>Some gentle order; and then we shall be blest</li>
  <li>To do your pleasure and continue friends.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CARDINAL PANDULPH</li>
  <li>All form is formless, order orderless,</li>
  <li>Save what is opposite to England's love.</li>
  <li class="number">Therefore to arms! be champion of our church,</li>
  <li>Or let the church, our mother, breathe her curse,</li>
  <li>A mother's curse, on her revolting son.</li>
  <li>France, thou mayst hold a serpent by the tongue,</li>
  <li>A chafed lion by the mortal paw,</li>
  <li class="number">A fasting tiger safer by the tooth,</li>
  <li>Than keep in peace that hand which thou dost hold.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>I may disjoin my hand, but not my faith.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CARDINAL PANDULPH</li>
  <li>So makest thou faith an enemy to faith;</li>
  <li>And like a civil war set'st oath to oath,</li>
  <li class="number">Thy tongue against thy tongue. O, let thy vow</li>
  <li>First made to heaven, first be to heaven perform'd,</li>
  <li>That is, to be the champion of our church!</li>
  <li>What since thou sworest is sworn against thyself</li>
  <li>And may not be performed by thyself,</li>
  <li class="number">For that which thou hast sworn to do amiss</li>
  <li>Is not amiss when it is truly done,</li>
  <li>And being not done, where doing tends to ill,</li>
  <li>The truth is then most done not doing it:</li>
  <li>The better act of purposes mistook</li>
  <li class="number">Is to mistake again; though indirect,</li>
  <li>Yet indirection thereby grows direct,</li>
  <li>And falsehood falsehood cures, as fire cools fire</li>
  <li>Within the scorched veins of one new-burn'd.</li>
  <li>It is religion that doth make vows kept;</li>
  <li class="number">But thou hast sworn against religion,</li>
  <li>By what thou swear'st against the thing thou swear'st,</li>
  <li>And makest an oath the surety for thy truth</li>
  <li>Against an oath: the truth thou art unsure</li>
  <li>To swear, swears only not to be forsworn;</li>
  <li class="number">Else what a mockery should it be to swear!</li>
  <li>But thou dost swear only to be forsworn;</li>
  <li>And most forsworn, to keep what thou dost swear.</li>
  <li>Therefore thy later vows against thy first</li>
  <li>Is in thyself rebellion to thyself;</li>
  <li class="number">And better conquest never canst thou make</li>
  <li>Than arm thy constant and thy nobler parts</li>
  <li>Against these giddy loose suggestions:</li>
  <li>Upon which better part our prayers come in,</li>
  <li>If thou vouchsafe them. But if not, then know</li>
  <li class="number">The peril of our curses light on thee</li>
  <li>So heavy as thou shalt not shake them off,</li>
  <li>But in despair die under their black weight.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">AUSTRIA</li>
  <li>Rebellion, flat rebellion!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Will't not be?</li>
  <li class="number">Will not a calfs-skin stop that mouth of thine?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LEWIS</li>
  <li>Father, to arms!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BLANCH</li>
  <li>Upon thy wedding-day?</li>
  <li>Against the blood that thou hast married?</li>
  <li>What, shall our feast be kept with slaughter'd men?</li>
  <li class="number">Shall braying trumpets and loud churlish drums,</li>
  <li>Clamours of hell, be measures to our pomp?</li>
  <li>O husband, hear me! ay, alack, how new</li>
  <li>Is husband in my mouth! even for that name,</li>
  <li>Which till this time my tongue did ne'er pronounce,</li>
  <li class="number">Upon my knee I beg, go not to arms</li>
  <li>Against mine uncle.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>O, upon my knee,</li>
  <li>Made hard with kneeling, I do pray to thee,</li>
  <li>Thou virtuous Dauphin, alter not the doom</li>
  <li class="number">Forethought by heaven!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BLANCH</li>
  <li>Now shall I see thy love: what motive may</li>
  <li>Be stronger with thee than the name of wife?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>That which upholdeth him that thee upholds,</li>
  <li>His honour: O, thine honour, Lewis, thine honour!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LEWIS</li>
  <li class="number">I muse your majesty doth seem so cold,</li>
  <li>When such profound respects do pull you on.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CARDINAL PANDULPH</li>
  <li>I will denounce a curse upon his head.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>Thou shalt not need. England, I will fall from thee.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>O fair return of banish'd majesty!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">QUEEN ELINOR</li>
  <li class="number">O foul revolt of French inconstancy!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>France, thou shalt rue this hour within this hour.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Old Time the clock-setter, that bald sexton Time,</li>
  <li>Is it as he will? well then, France shall rue.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BLANCH</li>
  <li>The sun's o'ercast with blood: fair day, adieu!</li>
  <li class="number">Which is the side that I must go withal?</li>
  <li>I am with both: each army hath a hand;</li>
  <li>And in their rage, I having hold of both,</li>
  <li>They swirl asunder and dismember me.</li>
  <li>Husband, I cannot pray that thou mayst win;</li>
  <li class="number">Uncle, I needs must pray that thou mayst lose;</li>
  <li>Father, I may not wish the fortune thine;</li>
  <li>Grandam, I will not wish thy fortunes thrive:</li>
  <li>Whoever wins, on that side shall I lose</li>
  <li>Assured loss before the match be play'd.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LEWIS</li>
  <li class="number">Lady, with me, with me thy fortune lies.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BLANCH</li>
  <li>There where my fortune lives, there my life dies.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Cousin, go draw our puissance together.</li>
  <li class="stage-direction">Exit BASTARD</li>
  <li>France, I am burn'd up with inflaming wrath;</li>
  <li>A rage whose heat hath this condition,</li>
  <li class="number">That nothing can allay, nothing but blood,</li>
  <li>The blood, and dearest-valued blood, of France.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>Thy rage sham burn thee up, and thou shalt turn</li>
  <li>To ashes, ere our blood shall quench that fire:</li>
  <li>Look to thyself, thou art in jeopardy.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li class="number">No more than he that threats. To arms let's hie!</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Exeunt</div>

</section>

<section class="scene">

<h3>SCENE II.  The same. Plains near Angiers.</h3>

<div class="stage-direction">Alarums, excursions. Enter the BASTARD, with
AUSTRIA'S head</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Now, by my life, this day grows wondrous hot;</li>
  <li>Some airy devil hovers in the sky</li>
  <li>And pours down mischief. Austria's head lie there,</li>
  <li>While Philip breathes.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter KING JOHN, ARTHUR, and HUBERT</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li class="number">Hubert, keep this boy. Philip, make up:</li>
  <li>My mother is assailed in our tent,</li>
  <li>And ta'en, I fear.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>My lord, I rescued her;</li>
  <li>Her highness is in safety, fear you not:</li>
  <li class="number">But on, my liege; for very little pains</li>
  <li>Will bring this labour to an happy end.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Exeunt</div>

</section>

<section class="scene">

<h3>SCENE III.  The same.</h3>

<div class="stage-direction">Alarums, excursions, retreat. Enter KING JOHN,
QUEEN ELINOR, ARTHUR, the BASTARD, HUBERT,
and Lords</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>To QUEEN ELINOR  So shall it be; your grace shall</li>
  <li>stay behind</li>
  <li>So strongly guarded.</li>
  <li class="stage-direction">To ARTHUR</li>
  <li>Cousin, look not sad:</li>
  <li class="number">Thy grandam loves thee; and thy uncle will</li>
  <li>As dear be to thee as thy father was.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">ARTHUR</li>
  <li>O, this will make my mother die with grief!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>To the BASTARD  Cousin, away for England!</li>
  <li>haste before:</li>
  <li class="number">And, ere our coming, see thou shake the bags</li>
  <li>Of hoarding abbots; imprisoned angels</li>
  <li>Set at liberty: the fat ribs of peace</li>
  <li>Must by the hungry now be fed upon:</li>
  <li>Use our commission in his utmost force.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li class="number">Bell, book, and candle shall not drive me back,</li>
  <li>When gold and silver becks me to come on.</li>
  <li>I leave your highness. Grandam, I will pray,</li>
  <li>If ever I remember to be holy,</li>
  <li>For your fair safety; so, I kiss your hand.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">ELINOR</li>
  <li class="number">Farewell, gentle cousin.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Coz, farewell.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Exit the BASTARD</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">QUEEN ELINOR</li>
  <li>Come hither, little kinsman; hark, a word.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Come hither, Hubert. O my gentle Hubert,</li>
  <li>We owe thee much! within this wall of flesh</li>
  <li class="number">There is a soul counts thee her creditor</li>
  <li>And with advantage means to pay thy love:</li>
  <li>And my good friend, thy voluntary oath</li>
  <li>Lives in this bosom, dearly cherished.</li>
  <li>Give me thy hand. I had a thing to say,</li>
  <li class="number">But I will fit it with some better time.</li>
  <li>By heaven, Hubert, I am almost ashamed</li>
  <li>To say what good respect I have of thee.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>I am much bounden to your majesty.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Good friend, thou hast no cause to say so yet,</li>
  <li class="number">But thou shalt have; and creep time ne'er so slow,</li>
  <li>Yet it shall come from me to do thee good.</li>
  <li>I had a thing to say, but let it go:</li>
  <li>The sun is in the heaven, and the proud day,</li>
  <li>Attended with the pleasures of the world,</li>
  <li class="number">Is all too wanton and too full of gawds</li>
  <li>To give me audience: if the midnight bell</li>
  <li>Did, with his iron tongue and brazen mouth,</li>
  <li>Sound on into the drowsy race of night;</li>
  <li>If this same were a churchyard where we stand,</li>
  <li class="number">And thou possessed with a thousand wrongs,</li>
  <li>Or if that surly spirit, melancholy,</li>
  <li>Had baked thy blood and made it heavy-thick,</li>
  <li>Which else runs tickling up and down the veins,</li>
  <li>Making that idiot, laughter, keep men's eyes</li>
  <li class="number">And strain their cheeks to idle merriment,</li>
  <li>A passion hateful to my purposes,</li>
  <li>Or if that thou couldst see me without eyes,</li>
  <li>Hear me without thine ears, and make reply</li>
  <li>Without a tongue, using conceit alone,</li>
  <li class="number">Without eyes, ears and harmful sound of words;</li>
  <li>Then, in despite of brooded watchful day,</li>
  <li>I would into thy bosom pour my thoughts:</li>
  <li>But, ah, I will not! yet I love thee well;</li>
  <li>And, by my troth, I think thou lovest me well.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li class="number">So well, that what you bid me undertake,</li>
  <li>Though that my death were adjunct to my act,</li>
  <li>By heaven, I would do it.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Do not I know thou wouldst?</li>
  <li>Good Hubert, Hubert, Hubert, throw thine eye</li>
  <li class="number">On yon young boy: I'll tell thee what, my friend,</li>
  <li>He is a very serpent in my way;</li>
  <li>And whereso'er this foot of mine doth tread,</li>
  <li>He lies before me: dost thou understand me?</li>
  <li>Thou art his keeper.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li class="number">And I'll keep him so,</li>
  <li>That he shall not offend your majesty.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Death.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>My lord?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>A grave.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li class="number">He shall not live.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Enough.</li>
  <li>I could be merry now. Hubert, I love thee;</li>
  <li>Well, I'll not say what I intend for thee:</li>
  <li>Remember. Madam, fare you well:</li>
  <li class="number">I'll send those powers o'er to your majesty.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">ELINOR</li>
  <li>My blessing go with thee!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>For England, cousin, go:</li>
  <li>Hubert shall be your man, attend on you</li>
  <li>With all true duty. On toward Calais, ho!</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Exeunt</div>

</section>

<section class="scene">

<h3>SCENE IV.  The same. KING PHILIP'S tent.</h3>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter KING PHILIP, LEWIS, CARDINAL PANDULPH,
and Attendants</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>So, by a roaring tempest on the flood,</li>
  <li>A whole armado of convicted sail</li>
  <li>Is scatter'd and disjoin'd from fellowship.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CARDINAL PANDULPH</li>
  <li>Courage and comfort! all shall yet go well.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li class="number">What can go well, when we have run so ill?</li>
  <li>Are we not beaten? Is not Angiers lost?</li>
  <li>Arthur ta'en prisoner? divers dear friends slain?</li>
  <li>And bloody England into England gone,</li>
  <li>O'erbearing interruption, spite of France?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LEWIS</li>
  <li class="number">What he hath won, that hath he fortified:</li>
  <li>So hot a speed with such advice disposed,</li>
  <li>Such temperate order in so fierce a cause,</li>
  <li>Doth want example: who hath read or heard</li>
  <li>Of any kindred action like to this?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li class="number">Well could I bear that England had this praise,</li>
  <li>So we could find some pattern of our shame.</li>
  <li class="stage-direction">Enter CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>Look, who comes here! a grave unto a soul;</li>
  <li>Holding the eternal spirit against her will,</li>
  <li>In the vile prison of afflicted breath.</li>
  <li class="number">I prithee, lady, go away with me.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>Lo, now I now see the issue of your peace.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>Patience, good lady! comfort, gentle Constance!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>No, I defy all counsel, all redress,</li>
  <li>But that which ends all counsel, true redress,</li>
  <li class="number">Death, death; O amiable lovely death!</li>
  <li>Thou odouriferous stench! sound rottenness!</li>
  <li>Arise forth from the couch of lasting night,</li>
  <li>Thou hate and terror to prosperity,</li>
  <li>And I will kiss thy detestable bones</li>
  <li class="number">And put my eyeballs in thy vaulty brows</li>
  <li>And ring these fingers with thy household worms</li>
  <li>And stop this gap of breath with fulsome dust</li>
  <li>And be a carrion monster like thyself:</li>
  <li>Come, grin on me, and I will think thou smilest</li>
  <li class="number">And buss thee as thy wife. Misery's love,</li>
  <li>O, come to me!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>O fair affliction, peace!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>No, no, I will not, having breath to cry:</li>
  <li>O, that my tongue were in the thunder's mouth!</li>
  <li class="number">Then with a passion would I shake the world;</li>
  <li>And rouse from sleep that fell anatomy</li>
  <li>Which cannot hear a lady's feeble voice,</li>
  <li>Which scorns a modern invocation.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CARDINAL PANDULPH</li>
  <li>Lady, you utter madness, and not sorrow.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li class="number">Thou art not holy to belie me so;</li>
  <li>I am not mad: this hair I tear is mine;</li>
  <li>My name is Constance; I was Geffrey's wife;</li>
  <li>Young Arthur is my son, and he is lost:</li>
  <li>I am not mad: I would to heaven I were!</li>
  <li class="number">For then, 'tis like I should forget myself:</li>
  <li>O, if I could, what grief should I forget!</li>
  <li>Preach some philosophy to make me mad,</li>
  <li>And thou shalt be canonized, cardinal;</li>
  <li>For being not mad but sensible of grief,</li>
  <li class="number">My reasonable part produces reason</li>
  <li>How I may be deliver'd of these woes,</li>
  <li>And teaches me to kill or hang myself:</li>
  <li>If I were mad, I should forget my son,</li>
  <li>Or madly think a babe of clouts were he:</li>
  <li class="number">I am not mad; too well, too well I feel</li>
  <li>The different plague of each calamity.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>Bind up those tresses. O, what love I note</li>
  <li>In the fair multitude of those her hairs!</li>
  <li>Where but by chance a silver drop hath fallen,</li>
  <li class="number">Even to that drop ten thousand wiry friends</li>
  <li>Do glue themselves in sociable grief,</li>
  <li>Like true, inseparable, faithful loves,</li>
  <li>Sticking together in calamity.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>To England, if you will.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li class="number">Bind up your hairs.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>Yes, that I will; and wherefore will I do it?</li>
  <li>I tore them from their bonds and cried aloud</li>
  <li>'O that these hands could so redeem my son,</li>
  <li>As they have given these hairs their liberty!'</li>
  <li class="number">But now I envy at their liberty,</li>
  <li>And will again commit them to their bonds,</li>
  <li>Because my poor child is a prisoner.</li>
  <li>And, father cardinal, I have heard you say</li>
  <li>That we shall see and know our friends in heaven:</li>
  <li class="number">If that be true, I shall see my boy again;</li>
  <li>For since the birth of Cain, the first male child,</li>
  <li>To him that did but yesterday suspire,</li>
  <li>There was not such a gracious creature born.</li>
  <li>But now will canker-sorrow eat my bud</li>
  <li class="number">And chase the native beauty from his cheek</li>
  <li>And he will look as hollow as a ghost,</li>
  <li>As dim and meagre as an ague's fit,</li>
  <li>And so he'll die; and, rising so again,</li>
  <li>When I shall meet him in the court of heaven</li>
  <li class="number">I shall not know him: therefore never, never</li>
  <li>Must I behold my pretty Arthur more.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CARDINAL PANDULPH</li>
  <li>You hold too heinous a respect of grief.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li>He talks to me that never had a son.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>You are as fond of grief as of your child.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CONSTANCE</li>
  <li class="number">Grief fills the room up of my absent child,</li>
  <li>Lies in his bed, walks up and down with me,</li>
  <li>Puts on his pretty looks, repeats his words,</li>
  <li>Remembers me of all his gracious parts,</li>
  <li>Stuffs out his vacant garments with his form;</li>
  <li class="number">Then, have I reason to be fond of grief?</li>
  <li>Fare you well: had you such a loss as I,</li>
  <li>I could give better comfort than you do.</li>
  <li>I will not keep this form upon my head,</li>
  <li>When there is such disorder in my wit.</li>
  <li class="number">O Lord! my boy, my Arthur, my fair son!</li>
  <li>My life, my joy, my food, my all the world!</li>
  <li>My widow-comfort, and my sorrows' cure!</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Exit</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING PHILIP</li>
  <li>I fear some outrage, and I'll follow her.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Exit</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LEWIS</li>
  <li>There's nothing in this world can make me joy:</li>
  <li class="number">Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale</li>
  <li>Vexing the dull ear of a drowsy man;</li>
  <li>And bitter shame hath spoil'd the sweet world's taste</li>
  <li>That it yields nought but shame and bitterness.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CARDINAL PANDULPH</li>
  <li>Before the curing of a strong disease,</li>
  <li class="number">Even in the instant of repair and health,</li>
  <li>The fit is strongest; evils that take leave,</li>
  <li>On their departure most of all show evil:</li>
  <li>What have you lost by losing of this day?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LEWIS</li>
  <li>All days of glory, joy and happiness.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CARDINAL PANDULPH</li>
  <li class="number">If you had won it, certainly you had.</li>
  <li>No, no; when Fortune means to men most good,</li>
  <li>She looks upon them with a threatening eye.</li>
  <li>'Tis strange to think how much King John hath lost</li>
  <li>In this which he accounts so clearly won:</li>
  <li class="number">Are not you grieved that Arthur is his prisoner?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LEWIS</li>
  <li>As heartily as he is glad he hath him.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CARDINAL PANDULPH</li>
  <li>Your mind is all as youthful as your blood.</li>
  <li>Now hear me speak with a prophetic spirit;</li>
  <li>For even the breath of what I mean to speak</li>
  <li class="number">Shall blow each dust, each straw, each little rub,</li>
  <li>Out of the path which shall directly lead</li>
  <li>Thy foot to England's throne; and therefore mark.</li>
  <li>John hath seized Arthur; and it cannot be</li>
  <li>That, whiles warm life plays in that infant's veins,</li>
  <li class="number">The misplaced John should entertain an hour,</li>
  <li>One minute, nay, one quiet breath of rest.</li>
  <li>A sceptre snatch'd with an unruly hand</li>
  <li>Must be as boisterously maintain'd as gain'd;</li>
  <li>And he that stands upon a slippery place</li>
  <li class="number">Makes nice of no vile hold to stay him up:</li>
  <li>That John may stand, then Arthur needs must fall;</li>
  <li>So be it, for it cannot be but so.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LEWIS</li>
  <li>But what shall I gain by young Arthur's fall?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CARDINAL PANDULPH</li>
  <li>You, in the right of Lady Blanch your wife,</li>
  <li class="number">May then make all the claim that Arthur did.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LEWIS</li>
  <li>And lose it, life and all, as Arthur did.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CARDINAL PANDULPH</li>
  <li>How green you are and fresh in this old world!</li>
  <li>John lays you plots; the times conspire with you;</li>
  <li>For he that steeps his safety in true blood</li>
  <li class="number">Shall find but bloody safety and untrue.</li>
  <li>This act so evilly born shall cool the hearts</li>
  <li>Of all his people and freeze up their zeal,</li>
  <li>That none so small advantage shall step forth</li>
  <li>To cheque his reign, but they will cherish it;</li>
  <li class="number">No natural exhalation in the sky,</li>
  <li>No scope of nature, no distemper'd day,</li>
  <li>No common wind, no customed event,</li>
  <li>But they will pluck away his natural cause</li>
  <li>And call them meteors, prodigies and signs,</li>
  <li class="number">Abortives, presages and tongues of heaven,</li>
  <li>Plainly denouncing vengeance upon John.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LEWIS</li>
  <li>May be he will not touch young Arthur's life,</li>
  <li>But hold himself safe in his prisonment.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CARDINAL PANDULPH</li>
  <li>O, sir, when he shall hear of your approach,</li>
  <li class="number">If that young Arthur be not gone already,</li>
  <li>Even at that news he dies; and then the hearts</li>
  <li>Of all his people shall revolt from him</li>
  <li>And kiss the lips of unacquainted change</li>
  <li>And pick strong matter of revolt and wrath</li>
  <li class="number">Out of the bloody fingers' ends of John.</li>
  <li>Methinks I see this hurly all on foot:</li>
  <li>And, O, what better matter breeds for you</li>
  <li>Than I have named! The bastard Faulconbridge</li>
  <li>Is now in England, ransacking the church,</li>
  <li class="number">Offending charity: if but a dozen French</li>
  <li>Were there in arms, they would be as a call</li>
  <li>To train ten thousand English to their side,</li>
  <li>Or as a little snow, tumbled about,</li>
  <li>Anon becomes a mountain. O noble Dauphin,</li>
  <li class="number">Go with me to the king: 'tis wonderful</li>
  <li>What may be wrought out of their discontent,</li>
  <li>Now that their souls are topful of offence.</li>
  <li>For England go: I will whet on the king.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LEWIS</li>
  <li>Strong reasons make strong actions: let us go:</li>
  <li class="number">If you say ay, the king will not say no.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Exeunt</div>

</section>

</section>

<section class="act">

<h2>ACT IV</h2>

<section class="scene">

<h3>SCENE I.  A room in a castle.</h3>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter HUBERT and Executioners</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>Heat me these irons hot; and look thou stand</li>
  <li>Within the arras: when I strike my foot</li>
  <li>Upon the bosom of the ground, rush forth,</li>
  <li>And bind the boy which you shall find with me</li>
  <li class="number">Fast to the chair: be heedful: hence, and watch.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">First Executioner</li>
  <li>I hope your warrant will bear out the deed.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>Uncleanly scruples! fear not you: look to't.</li>
  <li class="stage-direction">Exeunt Executioners</li>
  <li>Young lad, come forth; I have to say with you.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter ARTHUR</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">ARTHUR</li>
  <li>Good morrow, Hubert.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li class="number">Good morrow, little prince.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">ARTHUR</li>
  <li>As little prince, having so great a title</li>
  <li>To be more prince, as may be. You are sad.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>Indeed, I have been merrier.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">ARTHUR</li>
  <li>Mercy on me!</li>
  <li class="number">Methinks no body should be sad but I:</li>
  <li>Yet, I remember, when I was in France,</li>
  <li>Young gentlemen would be as sad as night,</li>
  <li>Only for wantonness. By my christendom,</li>
  <li>So I were out of prison and kept sheep,</li>
  <li class="number">I should be as merry as the day is long;</li>
  <li>And so I would be here, but that I doubt</li>
  <li>My uncle practises more harm to me:</li>
  <li>He is afraid of me and I of him:</li>
  <li>Is it my fault that I was Geffrey's son?</li>
  <li class="number">No, indeed, is't not; and I would to heaven</li>
  <li>I were your son, so you would love me, Hubert.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>Aside  If I talk to him, with his innocent prate</li>
  <li>He will awake my mercy which lies dead:</li>
  <li>Therefore I will be sudden and dispatch.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">ARTHUR</li>
  <li class="number">Are you sick, Hubert? you look pale to-day:</li>
  <li>In sooth, I would you were a little sick,</li>
  <li>That I might sit all night and watch with you:</li>
  <li>I warrant I love you more than you do me.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>Aside  His words do take possession of my bosom.</li>
  <li class="number">Read here, young Arthur.</li>
  <li class="stage-direction">Showing a paper</li>
  <li class="stage-direction">Aside</li>
  <li>How now, foolish rheum!</li>
  <li>Turning dispiteous torture out of door!</li>
  <li>I must be brief, lest resolution drop</li>
  <li>Out at mine eyes in tender womanish tears.</li>
  <li class="number">Can you not read it? Is it not fair writ?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">ARTHUR</li>
  <li>Too fairly, Hubert, for so foul effect:</li>
  <li>Must you with hot irons burn out both mine eyes?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>Young boy, I must.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">ARTHUR</li>
  <li>And will you?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li class="number">And I will.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">ARTHUR</li>
  <li>Have you the heart? When your head did but ache,</li>
  <li>I knit my handercher about your brows,</li>
  <li>The best I had, a princess wrought it me,</li>
  <li>And I did never ask it you again;</li>
  <li class="number">And with my hand at midnight held your head,</li>
  <li>And like the watchful minutes to the hour,</li>
  <li>Still and anon cheer'd up the heavy time,</li>
  <li>Saying, 'What lack you?' and 'Where lies your grief?'</li>
  <li>Or 'What good love may I perform for you?'</li>
  <li class="number">Many a poor man's son would have lien still</li>
  <li>And ne'er have spoke a loving word to you;</li>
  <li>But you at your sick service had a prince.</li>
  <li>Nay, you may think my love was crafty love</li>
  <li>And call it cunning: do, an if you will:</li>
  <li class="number">If heaven be pleased that you must use me ill,</li>
  <li>Why then you must. Will you put out mine eyes?</li>
  <li>These eyes that never did nor never shall</li>
  <li>So much as frown on you.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>I have sworn to do it;</li>
  <li class="number">And with hot irons must I burn them out.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">ARTHUR</li>
  <li>Ah, none but in this iron age would do it!</li>
  <li>The iron of itself, though heat red-hot,</li>
  <li>Approaching near these eyes, would drink my tears</li>
  <li>And quench his fiery indignation</li>
  <li class="number">Even in the matter of mine innocence;</li>
  <li>Nay, after that, consume away in rust</li>
  <li>But for containing fire to harm mine eye.</li>
  <li>Are you more stubborn-hard than hammer'd iron?</li>
  <li>An if an angel should have come to me</li>
  <li class="number">And told me Hubert should put out mine eyes,</li>
  <li>I would not have believed him —  no tongue but Hubert's.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>Come forth.</li>
  <li class="stage-direction">Stamps</li>
  <li class="stage-direction">Re-enter Executioners, with a cord, irons, etc.</li>
  <li>Do as I bid you do.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">ARTHUR</li>
  <li>O, save me, Hubert, save me! my eyes are out</li>
  <li class="number">Even with the fierce looks of these bloody men.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>Give me the iron, I say, and bind him here.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">ARTHUR</li>
  <li>Alas, what need you be so boisterous-rough?</li>
  <li>I will not struggle, I will stand stone-still.</li>
  <li>For heaven sake, Hubert, let me not be bound!</li>
  <li class="number">Nay, hear me, Hubert, drive these men away,</li>
  <li>And I will sit as quiet as a lamb;</li>
  <li>I will not stir, nor wince, nor speak a word,</li>
  <li>Nor look upon the iron angerly:</li>
  <li>Thrust but these men away, and I'll forgive you,</li>
  <li class="number">Whatever torment you do put me to.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>Go, stand within; let me alone with him.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">First Executioner</li>
  <li>I am best pleased to be from such a deed.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Exeunt Executioners</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">ARTHUR</li>
  <li>Alas, I then have chid away my friend!</li>
  <li>He hath a stern look, but a gentle heart:</li>
  <li class="number">Let him come back, that his compassion may</li>
  <li>Give life to yours.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>Come, boy, prepare yourself.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">ARTHUR</li>
  <li>Is there no remedy?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>None, but to lose your eyes.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">ARTHUR</li>
  <li class="number">O heaven, that there were but a mote in yours,</li>
  <li>A grain, a dust, a gnat, a wandering hair,</li>
  <li>Any annoyance in that precious sense!</li>
  <li>Then feeling what small things are boisterous there,</li>
  <li>Your vile intent must needs seem horrible.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li class="number">Is this your promise? go to, hold your tongue.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">ARTHUR</li>
  <li>Hubert, the utterance of a brace of tongues</li>
  <li>Must needs want pleading for a pair of eyes:</li>
  <li>Let me not hold my tongue, let me not, Hubert;</li>
  <li>Or, Hubert, if you will, cut out my tongue,</li>
  <li class="number">So I may keep mine eyes: O, spare mine eyes.</li>
  <li>Though to no use but still to look on you!</li>
  <li>Lo, by my truth, the instrument is cold</li>
  <li>And would not harm me.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>I can heat it, boy.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">ARTHUR</li>
  <li class="number">No, in good sooth: the fire is dead with grief,</li>
  <li>Being create for comfort, to be used</li>
  <li>In undeserved extremes: see else yourself;</li>
  <li>There is no malice in this burning coal;</li>
  <li>The breath of heaven has blown his spirit out</li>
  <li class="number">And strew'd repentent ashes on his head.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>But with my breath I can revive it, boy.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">ARTHUR</li>
  <li>An if you do, you will but make it blush</li>
  <li>And glow with shame of your proceedings, Hubert:</li>
  <li>Nay, it perchance will sparkle in your eyes;</li>
  <li class="number">And like a dog that is compell'd to fight,</li>
  <li>Snatch at his master that doth tarre him on.</li>
  <li>All things that you should use to do me wrong</li>
  <li>Deny their office: only you do lack</li>
  <li>That mercy which fierce fire and iron extends,</li>
  <li class="number">Creatures of note for mercy-lacking uses.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>Well, see to live; I will not touch thine eye</li>
  <li>For all the treasure that thine uncle owes:</li>
  <li>Yet am I sworn and I did purpose, boy,</li>
  <li>With this same very iron to burn them out.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">ARTHUR</li>
  <li class="number">O, now you look like Hubert! all this while</li>
  <li>You were disguised.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>Peace; no more. Adieu.</li>
  <li>Your uncle must not know but you are dead;</li>
  <li>I'll fill these dogged spies with false reports:</li>
  <li class="number">And, pretty child, sleep doubtless and secure,</li>
  <li>That Hubert, for the wealth of all the world,</li>
  <li>Will not offend thee.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">ARTHUR</li>
  <li>O heaven! I thank you, Hubert.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>Silence; no more: go closely in with me:</li>
  <li class="number">Much danger do I undergo for thee.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Exeunt</div>

</section>

<section class="scene">

<h3>SCENE II.  KING JOHN'S palace.</h3>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter KING JOHN, PEMBROKE, SALISBURY, and other Lords</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Here once again we sit, once again crown'd,</li>
  <li>And looked upon, I hope, with cheerful eyes.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">PEMBROKE</li>
  <li>This 'once again,' but that your highness pleased,</li>
  <li>Was once superfluous: you were crown'd before,</li>
  <li class="number">And that high royalty was ne'er pluck'd off,</li>
  <li>The faiths of men ne'er stained with revolt;</li>
  <li>Fresh expectation troubled not the land</li>
  <li>With any long'd-for change or better state.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li>Therefore, to be possess'd with double pomp,</li>
  <li class="number">To guard a title that was rich before,</li>
  <li>To gild refined gold, to paint the lily,</li>
  <li>To throw a perfume on the violet,</li>
  <li>To smooth the ice, or add another hue</li>
  <li>Unto the rainbow, or with taper-light</li>
  <li class="number">To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish,</li>
  <li>Is wasteful and ridiculous excess.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">PEMBROKE</li>
  <li>But that your royal pleasure must be done,</li>
  <li>This act is as an ancient tale new told,</li>
  <li>And in the last repeating troublesome,</li>
  <li class="number">Being urged at a time unseasonable.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li>In this the antique and well noted face</li>
  <li>Of plain old form is much disfigured;</li>
  <li>And, like a shifted wind unto a sail,</li>
  <li>It makes the course of thoughts to fetch about,</li>
  <li class="number">Startles and frights consideration,</li>
  <li>Makes sound opinion sick and truth suspected,</li>
  <li>For putting on so new a fashion'd robe.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">PEMBROKE</li>
  <li>When workmen strive to do better than well,</li>
  <li>They do confound their skill in covetousness;</li>
  <li class="number">And oftentimes excusing of a fault</li>
  <li>Doth make the fault the worse by the excuse,</li>
  <li>As patches set upon a little breach</li>
  <li>Discredit more in hiding of the fault</li>
  <li>Than did the fault before it was so patch'd.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li class="number">To this effect, before you were new crown'd,</li>
  <li>We breathed our counsel: but it pleased your highness</li>
  <li>To overbear it, and we are all well pleased,</li>
  <li>Since all and every part of what we would</li>
  <li>Doth make a stand at what your highness will.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li class="number">Some reasons of this double coronation</li>
  <li>I have possess'd you with and think them strong;</li>
  <li>And more, more strong, then lesser is my fear,</li>
  <li>I shall indue you with: meantime but ask</li>
  <li>What you would have reform'd that is not well,</li>
  <li class="number">And well shall you perceive how willingly</li>
  <li>I will both hear and grant you your requests.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">PEMBROKE</li>
  <li>Then I, as one that am the tongue of these,</li>
  <li>To sound the purpose of all their hearts,</li>
  <li>Both for myself and them, but, chief of all,</li>
  <li class="number">Your safety, for the which myself and them</li>
  <li>Bend their best studies, heartily request</li>
  <li>The enfranchisement of Arthur; whose restraint</li>
  <li>Doth move the murmuring lips of discontent</li>
  <li>To break into this dangerous argument —  </li>
  <li class="number">If what in rest you have in right you hold,</li>
  <li>Why then your fears, which, as they say, attend</li>
  <li>The steps of wrong, should move you to mew up</li>
  <li>Your tender kinsman and to choke his days</li>
  <li>With barbarous ignorance and deny his youth</li>
  <li class="number">The rich advantage of good exercise?</li>
  <li>That the time's enemies may not have this</li>
  <li>To grace occasions, let it be our suit</li>
  <li>That you have bid us ask his liberty;</li>
  <li>Which for our goods we do no further ask</li>
  <li class="number">Than whereupon our weal, on you depending,</li>
  <li>Counts it your weal he have his liberty.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter HUBERT</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Let it be so: I do commit his youth</li>
  <li>To your direction. Hubert, what news with you?</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Taking him apart</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">PEMBROKE</li>
  <li>This is the man should do the bloody deed;</li>
  <li class="number">He show'd his warrant to a friend of mine:</li>
  <li>The image of a wicked heinous fault</li>
  <li>Lives in his eye; that close aspect of his</li>
  <li>Does show the mood of a much troubled breast;</li>
  <li>And I do fearfully believe 'tis done,</li>
  <li class="number">What we so fear'd he had a charge to do.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li>The colour of the king doth come and go</li>
  <li>Between his purpose and his conscience,</li>
  <li>Like heralds 'twixt two dreadful battles set:</li>
  <li>His passion is so ripe, it needs must break.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">PEMBROKE</li>
  <li class="number">And when it breaks, I fear will issue thence</li>
  <li>The foul corruption of a sweet child's death.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>We cannot hold mortality's strong hand:</li>
  <li>Good lords, although my will to give is living,</li>
  <li>The suit which you demand is gone and dead:</li>
  <li class="number">He tells us Arthur is deceased to-night.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li>Indeed we fear'd his sickness was past cure.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">PEMBROKE</li>
  <li>Indeed we heard how near his death he was</li>
  <li>Before the child himself felt he was sick:</li>
  <li>This must be answer'd either here or hence.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li class="number">Why do you bend such solemn brows on me?</li>
  <li>Think you I bear the shears of destiny?</li>
  <li>Have I commandment on the pulse of life?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li>It is apparent foul play; and 'tis shame</li>
  <li>That greatness should so grossly offer it:</li>
  <li class="number">So thrive it in your game! and so, farewell.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">PEMBROKE</li>
  <li>Stay yet, Lord Salisbury; I'll go with thee,</li>
  <li>And find the inheritance of this poor child,</li>
  <li>His little kingdom of a forced grave.</li>
  <li>That blood which owed the breadth of all this isle,</li>
  <li class="number">Three foot of it doth hold: bad world the while!</li>
  <li>This must not be thus borne: this will break out</li>
  <li>To all our sorrows, and ere long I doubt.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Exeunt Lords</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>They burn in indignation. I repent:</li>
  <li>There is no sure foundation set on blood,</li>
  <li class="number">No certain life achieved by others' death.</li>
  <li class="stage-direction">Enter a Messenger</li>
  <li>A fearful eye thou hast: where is that blood</li>
  <li>That I have seen inhabit in those cheeks?</li>
  <li>So foul a sky clears not without a storm:</li>
  <li>Pour down thy weather: how goes all in France?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">Messenger</li>
  <li class="number">From France to England. Never such a power</li>
  <li>For any foreign preparation</li>
  <li>Was levied in the body of a land.</li>
  <li>The copy of your speed is learn'd by them;</li>
  <li>For when you should be told they do prepare,</li>
  <li class="number">The tidings come that they are all arrived.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>O, where hath our intelligence been drunk?</li>
  <li>Where hath it slept? Where is my mother's care,</li>
  <li>That such an army could be drawn in France,</li>
  <li>And she not hear of it?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">Messenger</li>
  <li class="number">My liege, her ear</li>
  <li>Is stopp'd with dust; the first of April died</li>
  <li>Your noble mother: and, as I hear, my lord,</li>
  <li>The Lady Constance in a frenzy died</li>
  <li>Three days before: but this from rumour's tongue</li>
  <li class="number">I idly heard; if true or false I know not.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Withhold thy speed, dreadful occasion!</li>
  <li>O, make a league with me, till I have pleased</li>
  <li>My discontented peers! What! mother dead!</li>
  <li>How wildly then walks my estate in France!</li>
  <li class="number">Under whose conduct came those powers of France</li>
  <li>That thou for truth givest out are landed here?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">Messenger</li>
  <li>Under the Dauphin.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Thou hast made me giddy</li>
  <li>With these ill tidings.</li>
  <li class="stage-direction">Enter the BASTARD and PETER of Pomfret</li>
  <li class="number">Now, what says the world</li>
  <li>To your proceedings? do not seek to stuff</li>
  <li>My head with more ill news, for it is full.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>But if you be afeard to hear the worst,</li>
  <li>Then let the worst unheard fall on your bead.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li class="number">Bear with me cousin, for I was amazed</li>
  <li>Under the tide: but now I breathe again</li>
  <li>Aloft the flood, and can give audience</li>
  <li>To any tongue, speak it of what it will.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>How I have sped among the clergymen,</li>
  <li class="number">The sums I have collected shall express.</li>
  <li>But as I travell'd hither through the land,</li>
  <li>I find the people strangely fantasied;</li>
  <li>Possess'd with rumours, full of idle dreams,</li>
  <li>Not knowing what they fear, but full of fear:</li>
  <li class="number">And here a prophet, that I brought with me</li>
  <li>From forth the streets of Pomfret, whom I found</li>
  <li>With many hundreds treading on his heels;</li>
  <li>To whom he sung, in rude harsh-sounding rhymes,</li>
  <li>That, ere the next Ascension-day at noon,</li>
  <li class="number">Your highness should deliver up your crown.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Thou idle dreamer, wherefore didst thou so?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">PETER</li>
  <li>Foreknowing that the truth will fall out so.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Hubert, away with him; imprison him;</li>
  <li>And on that day at noon whereon he says</li>
  <li class="number">I shall yield up my crown, let him be hang'd.</li>
  <li>Deliver him to safety; and return,</li>
  <li>For I must use thee.</li>
  <li class="stage-direction">Exeunt HUBERT with PETER</li>
  <li>O my gentle cousin,</li>
  <li>Hear'st thou the news abroad, who are arrived?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li class="number">The French, my lord; men's mouths are full of it:</li>
  <li>Besides, I met Lord Bigot and Lord Salisbury,</li>
  <li>With eyes as red as new-enkindled fire,</li>
  <li>And others more, going to seek the grave</li>
  <li>Of Arthur, who they say is kill'd to-night</li>
  <li class="number">On your suggestion.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Gentle kinsman, go,</li>
  <li>And thrust thyself into their companies:</li>
  <li>I have a way to win their loves again;</li>
  <li>Bring them before me.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li class="number">I will seek them out.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Nay, but make haste; the better foot before.</li>
  <li>O, let me have no subject enemies,</li>
  <li>When adverse foreigners affright my towns</li>
  <li>With dreadful pomp of stout invasion!</li>
  <li class="number">Be Mercury, set feathers to thy heels,</li>
  <li>And fly like thought from them to me again.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>The spirit of the time shall teach me speed.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Exit</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Spoke like a sprightful noble gentleman.</li>
  <li>Go after him; for he perhaps shall need</li>
  <li class="number">Some messenger betwixt me and the peers;</li>
  <li>And be thou he.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">Messenger</li>
  <li>With all my heart, my liege.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Exit</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>My mother dead!</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Re-enter HUBERT</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>My lord, they say five moons were seen to-night;</li>
  <li class="number">Four fixed, and the fifth did whirl about</li>
  <li>The other four in wondrous motion.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Five moons!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>Old men and beldams in the streets</li>
  <li>Do prophesy upon it dangerously:</li>
  <li class="number">Young Arthur's death is common in their mouths:</li>
  <li>And when they talk of him, they shake their heads</li>
  <li>And whisper one another in the ear;</li>
  <li>And he that speaks doth gripe the hearer's wrist,</li>
  <li>Whilst he that hears makes fearful action,</li>
  <li class="number">With wrinkled brows, with nods, with rolling eyes.</li>
  <li>I saw a smith stand with his hammer, thus,</li>
  <li>The whilst his iron did on the anvil cool,</li>
  <li>With open mouth swallowing a tailor's news;</li>
  <li>Who, with his shears and measure in his hand,</li>
  <li class="number">Standing on slippers, which his nimble haste</li>
  <li>Had falsely thrust upon contrary feet,</li>
  <li>Told of a many thousand warlike French</li>
  <li>That were embattailed and rank'd in Kent:</li>
  <li>Another lean unwash'd artificer</li>
  <li class="number">Cuts off his tale and talks of Arthur's death.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Why seek'st thou to possess me with these fears?</li>
  <li>Why urgest thou so oft young Arthur's death?</li>
  <li>Thy hand hath murder'd him: I had a mighty cause</li>
  <li>To wish him dead, but thou hadst none to kill him.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li class="number">No had, my lord! why, did you not provoke me?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>It is the curse of kings to be attended</li>
  <li>By slaves that take their humours for a warrant</li>
  <li>To break within the bloody house of life,</li>
  <li>And on the winking of authority</li>
  <li class="number">To understand a law, to know the meaning</li>
  <li>Of dangerous majesty, when perchance it frowns</li>
  <li>More upon humour than advised respect.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>Here is your hand and seal for what I did.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>O, when the last account 'twixt heaven and earth</li>
  <li class="number">Is to be made, then shall this hand and seal</li>
  <li>Witness against us to damnation!</li>
  <li>How oft the sight of means to do ill deeds</li>
  <li>Make deeds ill done! Hadst not thou been by,</li>
  <li>A fellow by the hand of nature mark'd,</li>
  <li class="number">Quoted and sign'd to do a deed of shame,</li>
  <li>This murder had not come into my mind:</li>
  <li>But taking note of thy abhorr'd aspect,</li>
  <li>Finding thee fit for bloody villany,</li>
  <li>Apt, liable to be employ'd in danger,</li>
  <li class="number">I faintly broke with thee of Arthur's death;</li>
  <li>And thou, to be endeared to a king,</li>
  <li>Made it no conscience to destroy a prince.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>My lord — </li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Hadst thou but shook thy head or made a pause</li>
  <li class="number">When I spake darkly what I purposed,</li>
  <li>Or turn'd an eye of doubt upon my face,</li>
  <li>As bid me tell my tale in express words,</li>
  <li>Deep shame had struck me dumb, made me break off,</li>
  <li>And those thy fears might have wrought fears in me:</li>
  <li class="number">But thou didst understand me by my signs</li>
  <li>And didst in signs again parley with sin;</li>
  <li>Yea, without stop, didst let thy heart consent,</li>
  <li>And consequently thy rude hand to act</li>
  <li>The deed, which both our tongues held vile to name.</li>
  <li class="number">Out of my sight, and never see me more!</li>
  <li>My nobles leave me; and my state is braved,</li>
  <li>Even at my gates, with ranks of foreign powers:</li>
  <li>Nay, in the body of this fleshly land,</li>
  <li>This kingdom, this confine of blood and breath,</li>
  <li class="number">Hostility and civil tumult reigns</li>
  <li>Between my conscience and my cousin's death.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>Arm you against your other enemies,</li>
  <li>I'll make a peace between your soul and you.</li>
  <li>Young Arthur is alive: this hand of mine</li>
  <li class="number">Is yet a maiden and an innocent hand,</li>
  <li>Not painted with the crimson spots of blood.</li>
  <li>Within this bosom never enter'd yet</li>
  <li>The dreadful motion of a murderous thought;</li>
  <li>And you have slander'd nature in my form,</li>
  <li class="number">Which, howsoever rude exteriorly,</li>
  <li>Is yet the cover of a fairer mind</li>
  <li>Than to be butcher of an innocent child.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Doth Arthur live? O, haste thee to the peers,</li>
  <li>Throw this report on their incensed rage,</li>
  <li class="number">And make them tame to their obedience!</li>
  <li>Forgive the comment that my passion made</li>
  <li>Upon thy feature; for my rage was blind,</li>
  <li>And foul imaginary eyes of blood</li>
  <li>Presented thee more hideous than thou art.</li>
  <li class="number">O, answer not, but to my closet bring</li>
  <li>The angry lords with all expedient haste.</li>
  <li>I conjure thee but slowly; run more fast.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Exeunt</div>

</section>

<section class="scene">

<h3>SCENE III.  Before the castle.</h3>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter ARTHUR, on the walls</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">ARTHUR</li>
  <li>The wall is high, and yet will I leap down:</li>
  <li>Good ground, be pitiful and hurt me not!</li>
  <li>There's few or none do know me: if they did,</li>
  <li>This ship-boy's semblance hath disguised me quite.</li>
  <li class="number">I am afraid; and yet I'll venture it.</li>
  <li>If I get down, and do not break my limbs,</li>
  <li>I'll find a thousand shifts to get away:</li>
  <li>As good to die and go, as die and stay.</li>
  <li class="stage-direction">Leaps down</li>
  <li>O me! my uncle's spirit is in these stones:</li>
  <li class="number">Heaven take my soul, and England keep my bones!</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Dies</div>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter PEMBROKE, SALISBURY, and BIGOT</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li>Lords, I will meet him at Saint Edmundsbury:</li>
  <li>It is our safety, and we must embrace</li>
  <li>This gentle offer of the perilous time.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">PEMBROKE</li>
  <li>Who brought that letter from the cardinal?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li class="number">The Count Melun, a noble lord of France,</li>
  <li>Whose private with me of the Dauphin's love</li>
  <li>Is much more general than these lines import.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BIGOT</li>
  <li>To-morrow morning let us meet him then.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li>Or rather then set forward; for 'twill be</li>
  <li class="number">Two long days' journey, lords, or ere we meet.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter the BASTARD</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Once more to-day well met, distemper'd lords!</li>
  <li>The king by me requests your presence straight.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li>The king hath dispossess'd himself of us:</li>
  <li>We will not line his thin bestained cloak</li>
  <li class="number">With our pure honours, nor attend the foot</li>
  <li>That leaves the print of blood where'er it walks.</li>
  <li>Return and tell him so: we know the worst.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Whate'er you think, good words, I think, were best.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li>Our griefs, and not our manners, reason now.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li class="number">But there is little reason in your grief;</li>
  <li>Therefore 'twere reason you had manners now.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">PEMBROKE</li>
  <li>Sir, sir, impatience hath his privilege.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>'Tis true, to hurt his master, no man else.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li>This is the prison. What is he lies here?</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Seeing ARTHUR</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">PEMBROKE</li>
  <li class="number">O death, made proud with pure and princely beauty!</li>
  <li>The earth had not a hole to hide this deed.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li>Murder, as hating what himself hath done,</li>
  <li>Doth lay it open to urge on revenge.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BIGOT</li>
  <li>Or, when he doom'd this beauty to a grave,</li>
  <li class="number">Found it too precious-princely for a grave.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li>Sir Richard, what think you? have you beheld,</li>
  <li>Or have you read or heard? or could you think?</li>
  <li>Or do you almost think, although you see,</li>
  <li>That you do see? could thought, without this object,</li>
  <li class="number">Form such another? This is the very top,</li>
  <li>The height, the crest, or crest unto the crest,</li>
  <li>Of murder's arms: this is the bloodiest shame,</li>
  <li>The wildest savagery, the vilest stroke,</li>
  <li>That ever wall-eyed wrath or staring rage</li>
  <li class="number">Presented to the tears of soft remorse.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">PEMBROKE</li>
  <li>All murders past do stand excused in this:</li>
  <li>And this, so sole and so unmatchable,</li>
  <li>Shall give a holiness, a purity,</li>
  <li>To the yet unbegotten sin of times;</li>
  <li class="number">And prove a deadly bloodshed but a jest,</li>
  <li>Exampled by this heinous spectacle.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>It is a damned and a bloody work;</li>
  <li>The graceless action of a heavy hand,</li>
  <li>If that it be the work of any hand.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li class="number">If that it be the work of any hand!</li>
  <li>We had a kind of light what would ensue:</li>
  <li>It is the shameful work of Hubert's hand;</li>
  <li>The practise and the purpose of the king:</li>
  <li>From whose obedience I forbid my soul,</li>
  <li class="number">Kneeling before this ruin of sweet life,</li>
  <li>And breathing to his breathless excellence</li>
  <li>The incense of a vow, a holy vow,</li>
  <li>Never to taste the pleasures of the world,</li>
  <li>Never to be infected with delight,</li>
  <li class="number">Nor conversant with ease and idleness,</li>
  <li>Till I have set a glory to this hand,</li>
  <li>By giving it the worship of revenge.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">PEMBROKE</li>
  <li class="speaker">BIGOT</li>
  <li>Our souls religiously confirm thy words.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter HUBERT</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>Lords, I am hot with haste in seeking you:</li>
  <li class="number">Arthur doth live; the king hath sent for you.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li>O, he is old and blushes not at death.</li>
  <li>Avaunt, thou hateful villain, get thee gone!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>I am no villain.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li>Must I rob the law?</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Drawing his sword</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li class="number">Your sword is bright, sir; put it up again.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li>Not till I sheathe it in a murderer's skin.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>Stand back, Lord Salisbury, stand back, I say;</li>
  <li>By heaven, I think my sword's as sharp as yours:</li>
  <li>I would not have you, lord, forget yourself,</li>
  <li class="number">Nor tempt the danger of my true defence;</li>
  <li>Lest I, by marking of your rage, forget</li>
  <li>Your worth, your greatness and nobility.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BIGOT</li>
  <li>Out, dunghill! darest thou brave a nobleman?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>Not for my life: but yet I dare defend</li>
  <li class="number">My innocent life against an emperor.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li>Thou art a murderer.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>Do not prove me so;</li>
  <li>Yet I am none: whose tongue soe'er speaks false,</li>
  <li>Not truly speaks; who speaks not truly, lies.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">PEMBROKE</li>
  <li class="number">Cut him to pieces.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Keep the peace, I say.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li>Stand by, or I shall gall you, Faulconbridge.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Thou wert better gall the devil, Salisbury:</li>
  <li>If thou but frown on me, or stir thy foot,</li>
  <li class="number">Or teach thy hasty spleen to do me shame,</li>
  <li>I'll strike thee dead. Put up thy sword betime;</li>
  <li>Or I'll so maul you and your toasting-iron,</li>
  <li>That you shall think the devil is come from hell.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BIGOT</li>
  <li>What wilt thou do, renowned Faulconbridge?</li>
  <li class="number">Second a villain and a murderer?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>Lord Bigot, I am none.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BIGOT</li>
  <li>Who kill'd this prince?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>'Tis not an hour since I left him well:</li>
  <li>I honour'd him, I loved him, and will weep</li>
  <li class="number">My date of life out for his sweet life's loss.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li>Trust not those cunning waters of his eyes,</li>
  <li>For villany is not without such rheum;</li>
  <li>And he, long traded in it, makes it seem</li>
  <li>Like rivers of remorse and innocency.</li>
  <li class="number">Away with me, all you whose souls abhor</li>
  <li>The uncleanly savours of a slaughter-house;</li>
  <li>For I am stifled with this smell of sin.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BIGOT</li>
  <li>Away toward Bury, to the Dauphin there!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">PEMBROKE</li>
  <li>There tell the king he may inquire us out.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Exeunt Lords</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li class="number">Here's a good world! Knew you of this fair work?</li>
  <li>Beyond the infinite and boundless reach</li>
  <li>Of mercy, if thou didst this deed of death,</li>
  <li>Art thou damn'd, Hubert.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>Do but hear me, sir.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li class="number">Ha! I'll tell thee what;</li>
  <li>Thou'rt damn'd as black — nay, nothing is so black;</li>
  <li>Thou art more deep damn'd than Prince Lucifer:</li>
  <li>There is not yet so ugly a fiend of hell</li>
  <li>As thou shalt be, if thou didst kill this child.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li class="number">Upon my soul — </li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>If thou didst but consent</li>
  <li>To this most cruel act, do but despair;</li>
  <li>And if thou want'st a cord, the smallest thread</li>
  <li>That ever spider twisted from her womb</li>
  <li class="number">Will serve to strangle thee, a rush will be a beam</li>
  <li>To hang thee on; or wouldst thou drown thyself,</li>
  <li>Put but a little water in a spoon,</li>
  <li>And it shall be as all the ocean,</li>
  <li>Enough to stifle such a villain up.</li>
  <li class="number">I do suspect thee very grievously.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>If I in act, consent, or sin of thought,</li>
  <li>Be guilty of the stealing that sweet breath</li>
  <li>Which was embounded in this beauteous clay,</li>
  <li>Let hell want pains enough to torture me.</li>
  <li class="number">I left him well.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Go, bear him in thine arms.</li>
  <li>I am amazed, methinks, and lose my way</li>
  <li>Among the thorns and dangers of this world.</li>
  <li>How easy dost thou take all England up!</li>
  <li class="number">From forth this morsel of dead royalty,</li>
  <li>The life, the right and truth of all this realm</li>
  <li>Is fled to heaven; and England now is left</li>
  <li>To tug and scamble and to part by the teeth</li>
  <li>The unowed interest of proud-swelling state.</li>
  <li class="number">Now for the bare-pick'd bone of majesty</li>
  <li>Doth dogged war bristle his angry crest</li>
  <li>And snarleth in the gentle eyes of peace:</li>
  <li>Now powers from home and discontents at home</li>
  <li>Meet in one line; and vast confusion waits,</li>
  <li class="number">As doth a raven on a sick-fall'n beast,</li>
  <li>The imminent decay of wrested pomp.</li>
  <li>Now happy he whose cloak and cincture can</li>
  <li>Hold out this tempest. Bear away that child</li>
  <li>And follow me with speed: I'll to the king:</li>
  <li class="number">A thousand businesses are brief in hand,</li>
  <li>And heaven itself doth frown upon the land.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Exeunt</div>

</section>

</section>

<section class="act">

<h2>ACT V</h2>

<section class="scene">

<h3>SCENE I.  KING JOHN'S palace.</h3>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter KING JOHN, CARDINAL PANDULPH, and Attendants</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Thus have I yielded up into your hand</li>
  <li>The circle of my glory.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Giving the crown</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CARDINAL PANDULPH</li>
  <li>Take again</li>
  <li>From this my hand, as holding of the pope</li>
  <li class="number">Your sovereign greatness and authority.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Now keep your holy word: go meet the French,</li>
  <li>And from his holiness use all your power</li>
  <li>To stop their marches 'fore we are inflamed.</li>
  <li>Our discontented counties do revolt;</li>
  <li class="number">Our people quarrel with obedience,</li>
  <li>Swearing allegiance and the love of soul</li>
  <li>To stranger blood, to foreign royalty.</li>
  <li>This inundation of mistemper'd humour</li>
  <li>Rests by you only to be qualified:</li>
  <li class="number">Then pause not; for the present time's so sick,</li>
  <li>That present medicine must be minister'd,</li>
  <li>Or overthrow incurable ensues.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CARDINAL PANDULPH</li>
  <li>It was my breath that blew this tempest up,</li>
  <li>Upon your stubborn usage of the pope;</li>
  <li class="number">But since you are a gentle convertite,</li>
  <li>My tongue shall hush again this storm of war</li>
  <li>And make fair weather in your blustering land.</li>
  <li>On this Ascension-day, remember well,</li>
  <li>Upon your oath of service to the pope,</li>
  <li class="number">Go I to make the French lay down their arms.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Exit</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Is this Ascension-day? Did not the prophet</li>
  <li>Say that before Ascension-day at noon</li>
  <li>My crown I should give off? Even so I have:</li>
  <li>I did suppose it should be on constraint:</li>
  <li class="number">But, heaven be thank'd, it is but voluntary.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter the BASTARD</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>All Kent hath yielded; nothing there holds out</li>
  <li>But Dover castle: London hath received,</li>
  <li>Like a kind host, the Dauphin and his powers:</li>
  <li>Your nobles will not hear you, but are gone</li>
  <li class="number">To offer service to your enemy,</li>
  <li>And wild amazement hurries up and down</li>
  <li>The little number of your doubtful friends.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Would not my lords return to me again,</li>
  <li>After they heard young Arthur was alive?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li class="number">They found him dead and cast into the streets,</li>
  <li>An empty casket, where the jewel of life</li>
  <li>By some damn'd hand was robb'd and ta'en away.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>That villain Hubert told me he did live.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>So, on my soul, he did, for aught he knew.</li>
  <li class="number">But wherefore do you droop? why look you sad?</li>
  <li>Be great in act, as you have been in thought;</li>
  <li>Let not the world see fear and sad distrust</li>
  <li>Govern the motion of a kingly eye:</li>
  <li>Be stirring as the time; be fire with fire;</li>
  <li class="number">Threaten the threatener and outface the brow</li>
  <li>Of bragging horror: so shall inferior eyes,</li>
  <li>That borrow their behaviors from the great,</li>
  <li>Grow great by your example and put on</li>
  <li>The dauntless spirit of resolution.</li>
  <li class="number">Away, and glister like the god of war,</li>
  <li>When he intendeth to become the field:</li>
  <li>Show boldness and aspiring confidence.</li>
  <li>What, shall they seek the lion in his den,</li>
  <li>And fright him there? and make him tremble there?</li>
  <li class="number">O, let it not be said: forage, and run</li>
  <li>To meet displeasure farther from the doors,</li>
  <li>And grapple with him ere he comes so nigh.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>The legate of the pope hath been with me,</li>
  <li>And I have made a happy peace with him;</li>
  <li class="number">And he hath promised to dismiss the powers</li>
  <li>Led by the Dauphin.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>O inglorious league!</li>
  <li>Shall we, upon the footing of our land,</li>
  <li>Send fair-play orders and make compromise,</li>
  <li class="number">Insinuation, parley and base truce</li>
  <li>To arms invasive? shall a beardless boy,</li>
  <li>A cocker'd silken wanton, brave our fields,</li>
  <li>And flesh his spirit in a warlike soil,</li>
  <li>Mocking the air with colours idly spread,</li>
  <li class="number">And find no cheque? Let us, my liege, to arms:</li>
  <li>Perchance the cardinal cannot make your peace;</li>
  <li>Or if he do, let it at least be said</li>
  <li>They saw we had a purpose of defence.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Have thou the ordering of this present time.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li class="number">Away, then, with good courage! yet, I know,</li>
  <li>Our party may well meet a prouder foe.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Exeunt</div>

</section>

<section class="scene">

<h3>SCENE II.  LEWIS's camp at St. Edmundsbury.</h3>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter, in arms, LEWIS, SALISBURY, MELUN, PEMBROKE,
BIGOT, and Soldiers</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LEWIS</li>
  <li>My Lord Melun, let this be copied out,</li>
  <li>And keep it safe for our remembrance:</li>
  <li>Return the precedent to these lords again;</li>
  <li>That, having our fair order written down,</li>
  <li class="number">Both they and we, perusing o'er these notes,</li>
  <li>May know wherefore we took the sacrament</li>
  <li>And keep our faiths firm and inviolable.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li>Upon our sides it never shall be broken.</li>
  <li>And, noble Dauphin, albeit we swear</li>
  <li class="number">A voluntary zeal and an unurged faith</li>
  <li>To your proceedings; yet believe me, prince,</li>
  <li>I am not glad that such a sore of time</li>
  <li>Should seek a plaster by contemn'd revolt,</li>
  <li>And heal the inveterate canker of one wound</li>
  <li class="number">By making many. O, it grieves my soul,</li>
  <li>That I must draw this metal from my side</li>
  <li>To be a widow-maker! O, and there</li>
  <li>Where honourable rescue and defence</li>
  <li>Cries out upon the name of Salisbury!</li>
  <li class="number">But such is the infection of the time,</li>
  <li>That, for the health and physic of our right,</li>
  <li>We cannot deal but with the very hand</li>
  <li>Of stern injustice and confused wrong.</li>
  <li>And is't not pity, O my grieved friends,</li>
  <li class="number">That we, the sons and children of this isle,</li>
  <li>Were born to see so sad an hour as this;</li>
  <li>Wherein we step after a stranger march</li>
  <li>Upon her gentle bosom, and fill up</li>
  <li>Her enemies' ranks —  I must withdraw and weep</li>
  <li class="number">Upon the spot of this enforced cause —  </li>
  <li>To grace the gentry of a land remote,</li>
  <li>And follow unacquainted colours here?</li>
  <li>What, here? O nation, that thou couldst remove!</li>
  <li>That Neptune's arms, who clippeth thee about,</li>
  <li class="number">Would bear thee from the knowledge of thyself,</li>
  <li>And grapple thee unto a pagan shore;</li>
  <li>Where these two Christian armies might combine</li>
  <li>The blood of malice in a vein of league,</li>
  <li>And not to spend it so unneighbourly!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LEWIS</li>
  <li class="number">A noble temper dost thou show in this;</li>
  <li>And great affections wrestling in thy bosom</li>
  <li>Doth make an earthquake of nobility.</li>
  <li>O, what a noble combat hast thou fought</li>
  <li>Between compulsion and a brave respect!</li>
  <li class="number">Let me wipe off this honourable dew,</li>
  <li>That silverly doth progress on thy cheeks:</li>
  <li>My heart hath melted at a lady's tears,</li>
  <li>Being an ordinary inundation;</li>
  <li>But this effusion of such manly drops,</li>
  <li class="number">This shower, blown up by tempest of the soul,</li>
  <li>Startles mine eyes, and makes me more amazed</li>
  <li>Than had I seen the vaulty top of heaven</li>
  <li>Figured quite o'er with burning meteors.</li>
  <li>Lift up thy brow, renowned Salisbury,</li>
  <li class="number">And with a great heart heave away the storm:</li>
  <li>Commend these waters to those baby eyes</li>
  <li>That never saw the giant world enraged;</li>
  <li>Nor met with fortune other than at feasts,</li>
  <li>Full of warm blood, of mirth, of gossiping.</li>
  <li class="number">Come, come; for thou shalt thrust thy hand as deep</li>
  <li>Into the purse of rich prosperity</li>
  <li>As Lewis himself: so, nobles, shall you all,</li>
  <li>That knit your sinews to the strength of mine.</li>
  <li>And even there, methinks, an angel spake:</li>
  <li class="stage-direction">Enter CARDINAL PANDULPH</li>
  <li class="number">Look, where the holy legate comes apace,</li>
  <li>To give us warrant from the hand of heaven</li>
  <li>And on our actions set the name of right</li>
  <li>With holy breath.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CARDINAL PANDULPH</li>
  <li>Hail, noble prince of France!</li>
  <li class="number">The next is this, King John hath reconciled</li>
  <li>Himself to Rome; his spirit is come in,</li>
  <li>That so stood out against the holy church,</li>
  <li>The great metropolis and see of Rome:</li>
  <li>Therefore thy threatening colours now wind up;</li>
  <li class="number">And tame the savage spirit of wild war,</li>
  <li>That like a lion foster'd up at hand,</li>
  <li>It may lie gently at the foot of peace,</li>
  <li>And be no further harmful than in show.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LEWIS</li>
  <li>Your grace shall pardon me, I will not back:</li>
  <li class="number">I am too high-born to be propertied,</li>
  <li>To be a secondary at control,</li>
  <li>Or useful serving-man and instrument,</li>
  <li>To any sovereign state throughout the world.</li>
  <li>Your breath first kindled the dead coal of wars</li>
  <li class="number">Between this chastised kingdom and myself,</li>
  <li>And brought in matter that should feed this fire;</li>
  <li>And now 'tis far too huge to be blown out</li>
  <li>With that same weak wind which enkindled it.</li>
  <li>You taught me how to know the face of right,</li>
  <li class="number">Acquainted me with interest to this land,</li>
  <li>Yea, thrust this enterprise into my heart;</li>
  <li>And come ye now to tell me John hath made</li>
  <li>His peace with Rome? What is that peace to me?</li>
  <li>I, by the honour of my marriage-bed,</li>
  <li class="number">After young Arthur, claim this land for mine;</li>
  <li>And, now it is half-conquer'd, must I back</li>
  <li>Because that John hath made his peace with Rome?</li>
  <li>Am I Rome's slave? What penny hath Rome borne,</li>
  <li>What men provided, what munition sent,</li>
  <li class="number">To underprop this action? Is't not I</li>
  <li>That undergo this charge? who else but I,</li>
  <li>And such as to my claim are liable,</li>
  <li>Sweat in this business and maintain this war?</li>
  <li>Have I not heard these islanders shout out</li>
  <li class="number">'Vive le roi!' as I have bank'd their towns?</li>
  <li>Have I not here the best cards for the game,</li>
  <li>To win this easy match play'd for a crown?</li>
  <li>And shall I now give o'er the yielded set?</li>
  <li>No, no, on my soul, it never shall be said.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CARDINAL PANDULPH</li>
  <li class="number">You look but on the outside of this work.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LEWIS</li>
  <li>Outside or inside, I will not return</li>
  <li>Till my attempt so much be glorified</li>
  <li>As to my ample hope was promised</li>
  <li>Before I drew this gallant head of war,</li>
  <li class="number">And cull'd these fiery spirits from the world,</li>
  <li>To outlook conquest and to win renown</li>
  <li>Even in the jaws of danger and of death.</li>
  <li class="stage-direction">Trumpet sounds</li>
  <li>What lusty trumpet thus doth summon us?</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter the BASTARD, attended</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>According to the fair play of the world,</li>
  <li class="number">Let me have audience; I am sent to speak:</li>
  <li>My holy lord of Milan, from the king</li>
  <li>I come, to learn how you have dealt for him;</li>
  <li>And, as you answer, I do know the scope</li>
  <li>And warrant limited unto my tongue.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CARDINAL PANDULPH</li>
  <li class="number">The Dauphin is too wilful-opposite,</li>
  <li>And will not temporize with my entreaties;</li>
  <li>He flatly says he'll not lay down his arms.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>By all the blood that ever fury breathed,</li>
  <li>The youth says well. Now hear our English king;</li>
  <li class="number">For thus his royalty doth speak in me.</li>
  <li>He is prepared, and reason too he should:</li>
  <li>This apish and unmannerly approach,</li>
  <li>This harness'd masque and unadvised revel,</li>
  <li>This unhair'd sauciness and boyish troops,</li>
  <li class="number">The king doth smile at; and is well prepared</li>
  <li>To whip this dwarfish war, these pigmy arms,</li>
  <li>From out the circle of his territories.</li>
  <li>That hand which had the strength, even at your door,</li>
  <li>To cudgel you and make you take the hatch,</li>
  <li class="number">To dive like buckets in concealed wells,</li>
  <li>To crouch in litter of your stable planks,</li>
  <li>To lie like pawns lock'd up in chests and trunks,</li>
  <li>To hug with swine, to seek sweet safety out</li>
  <li>In vaults and prisons, and to thrill and shake</li>
  <li class="number">Even at the crying of your nation's crow,</li>
  <li>Thinking his voice an armed Englishman;</li>
  <li>Shall that victorious hand be feebled here,</li>
  <li>That in your chambers gave you chastisement?</li>
  <li>No: know the gallant monarch is in arms</li>
  <li class="number">And like an eagle o'er his aery towers,</li>
  <li>To souse annoyance that comes near his nest.</li>
  <li>And you degenerate, you ingrate revolts,</li>
  <li>You bloody Neroes, ripping up the womb</li>
  <li>Of your dear mother England, blush for shame;</li>
  <li class="number">For your own ladies and pale-visaged maids</li>
  <li>Like Amazons come tripping after drums,</li>
  <li>Their thimbles into armed gauntlets change,</li>
  <li>Their needles to lances, and their gentle hearts</li>
  <li>To fierce and bloody inclination.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LEWIS</li>
  <li class="number">There end thy brave, and turn thy face in peace;</li>
  <li>We grant thou canst outscold us: fare thee well;</li>
  <li>We hold our time too precious to be spent</li>
  <li>With such a brabbler.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">CARDINAL PANDULPH</li>
  <li>Give me leave to speak.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li class="number">No, I will speak.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LEWIS</li>
  <li>We will attend to neither.</li>
  <li>Strike up the drums; and let the tongue of war</li>
  <li>Plead for our interest and our being here.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Indeed your drums, being beaten, will cry out;</li>
  <li class="number">And so shall you, being beaten: do but start</li>
  <li>An echo with the clamour of thy drum,</li>
  <li>And even at hand a drum is ready braced</li>
  <li>That shall reverberate all as loud as thine;</li>
  <li>Sound but another, and another shall</li>
  <li class="number">As loud as thine rattle the welkin's ear</li>
  <li>And mock the deep-mouth'd thunder: for at hand,</li>
  <li>Not trusting to this halting legate here,</li>
  <li>Whom he hath used rather for sport than need</li>
  <li>Is warlike John; and in his forehead sits</li>
  <li class="number">A bare-ribb'd death, whose office is this day</li>
  <li>To feast upon whole thousands of the French.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LEWIS</li>
  <li>Strike up our drums, to find this danger out.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>And thou shalt find it, Dauphin, do not doubt.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Exeunt</div>

</section>

<section class="scene">

<h3>SCENE III.  The field of battle.</h3>

<div class="stage-direction">Alarums. Enter KING JOHN and HUBERT</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>How goes the day with us? O, tell me, Hubert.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>Badly, I fear. How fares your majesty?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>This fever, that hath troubled me so long,</li>
  <li>Lies heavy on me; O, my heart is sick!</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter a Messenger</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">Messenger</li>
  <li class="number">My lord, your valiant kinsman, Faulconbridge,</li>
  <li>Desires your majesty to leave the field</li>
  <li>And send him word by me which way you go.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Tell him, toward Swinstead, to the abbey there.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">Messenger</li>
  <li>Be of good comfort; for the great supply</li>
  <li class="number">That was expected by the Dauphin here,</li>
  <li>Are wreck'd three nights ago on Goodwin Sands.</li>
  <li>This news was brought to Richard but even now:</li>
  <li>The French fight coldly, and retire themselves.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Ay me! this tyrant fever burns me up,</li>
  <li class="number">And will not let me welcome this good news.</li>
  <li>Set on toward Swinstead: to my litter straight;</li>
  <li>Weakness possesseth me, and I am faint.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Exeunt</div>

</section>

<section class="scene">

<h3>SCENE IV.  Another part of the field.</h3>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter SALISBURY, PEMBROKE, and BIGOT</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li>I did not think the king so stored with friends.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">PEMBROKE</li>
  <li>Up once again; put spirit in the French:</li>
  <li>If they miscarry, we miscarry too.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li>That misbegotten devil, Faulconbridge,</li>
  <li class="number">In spite of spite, alone upholds the day.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">PEMBROKE</li>
  <li>They say King John sore sick hath left the field.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter MELUN, wounded</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">MELUN</li>
  <li>Lead me to the revolts of England here.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li>When we were happy we had other names.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">PEMBROKE</li>
  <li>It is the Count Melun.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li class="number">Wounded to death.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">MELUN</li>
  <li>Fly, noble English, you are bought and sold;</li>
  <li>Unthread the rude eye of rebellion</li>
  <li>And welcome home again discarded faith.</li>
  <li>Seek out King John and fall before his feet;</li>
  <li class="number">For if the French be lords of this loud day,</li>
  <li>He means to recompense the pains you take</li>
  <li>By cutting off your heads: thus hath he sworn</li>
  <li>And I with him, and many moe with me,</li>
  <li>Upon the altar at Saint Edmundsbury;</li>
  <li class="number">Even on that altar where we swore to you</li>
  <li>Dear amity and everlasting love.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li>May this be possible? may this be true?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">MELUN</li>
  <li>Have I not hideous death within my view,</li>
  <li>Retaining but a quantity of life,</li>
  <li class="number">Which bleeds away, even as a form of wax</li>
  <li>Resolveth from his figure 'gainst the fire?</li>
  <li>What in the world should make me now deceive,</li>
  <li>Since I must lose the use of all deceit?</li>
  <li>Why should I then be false, since it is true</li>
  <li class="number">That I must die here and live hence by truth?</li>
  <li>I say again, if Lewis do win the day,</li>
  <li>He is forsworn, if e'er those eyes of yours</li>
  <li>Behold another day break in the east:</li>
  <li>But even this night, whose black contagious breath</li>
  <li class="number">Already smokes about the burning crest</li>
  <li>Of the old, feeble and day-wearied sun,</li>
  <li>Even this ill night, your breathing shall expire,</li>
  <li>Paying the fine of rated treachery</li>
  <li>Even with a treacherous fine of all your lives,</li>
  <li class="number">If Lewis by your assistance win the day.</li>
  <li>Commend me to one Hubert with your king:</li>
  <li>The love of him, and this respect besides,</li>
  <li>For that my grandsire was an Englishman,</li>
  <li>Awakes my conscience to confess all this.</li>
  <li class="number">In lieu whereof, I pray you, bear me hence</li>
  <li>From forth the noise and rumour of the field,</li>
  <li>Where I may think the remnant of my thoughts</li>
  <li>In peace, and part this body and my soul</li>
  <li>With contemplation and devout desires.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li class="number">We do believe thee: and beshrew my soul</li>
  <li>But I do love the favour and the form</li>
  <li>Of this most fair occasion, by the which</li>
  <li>We will untread the steps of damned flight,</li>
  <li>And like a bated and retired flood,</li>
  <li class="number">Leaving our rankness and irregular course,</li>
  <li>Stoop low within those bounds we have o'erlook'd</li>
  <li>And cabby run on in obedience</li>
  <li>Even to our ocean, to our great King John.</li>
  <li>My arm shall give thee help to bear thee hence;</li>
  <li class="number">For I do see the cruel pangs of death</li>
  <li>Right in thine eye. Away, my friends! New flight;</li>
  <li>And happy newness, that intends old right.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Exeunt, leading off MELUN</div>

</section>

<section class="scene">

<h3>SCENE V.  The French camp.</h3>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter LEWIS and his train</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LEWIS</li>
  <li>The sun of heaven methought was loath to set,</li>
  <li>But stay'd and made the western welkin blush,</li>
  <li>When English measure backward their own ground</li>
  <li>In faint retire. O, bravely came we off,</li>
  <li class="number">When with a volley of our needless shot,</li>
  <li>After such bloody toil, we bid good night;</li>
  <li>And wound our tattering colours clearly up,</li>
  <li>Last in the field, and almost lords of it!</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter a Messenger</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">Messenger</li>
  <li>Where is my prince, the Dauphin?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LEWIS</li>
  <li class="number">Here: what news?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">Messenger</li>
  <li>The Count Melun is slain; the English lords</li>
  <li>By his persuasion are again fall'n off,</li>
  <li>And your supply, which you have wish'd so long,</li>
  <li>Are cast away and sunk on Goodwin Sands.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LEWIS</li>
  <li class="number">Ah, foul shrewd news! beshrew thy very heart!</li>
  <li>I did not think to be so sad to-night</li>
  <li>As this hath made me. Who was he that said</li>
  <li>King John did fly an hour or two before</li>
  <li>The stumbling night did part our weary powers?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">Messenger</li>
  <li class="number">Whoever spoke it, it is true, my lord.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">LEWIS</li>
  <li>Well; keep good quarter and good care to-night:</li>
  <li>The day shall not be up so soon as I,</li>
  <li>To try the fair adventure of to-morrow.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Exeunt</div>

</section>

<section class="scene">

<h3>SCENE VI.  An open place in the neighbourhood of Swinstead Abbey.</h3>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter the BASTARD and HUBERT, severally</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>Who's there? speak, ho! speak quickly, or I shoot.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>A friend. What art thou?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>Of the part of England.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Whither dost thou go?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li class="number">What's that to thee? why may not I demand</li>
  <li>Of thine affairs, as well as thou of mine?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Hubert, I think?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>Thou hast a perfect thought:</li>
  <li>I will upon all hazards well believe</li>
  <li class="number">Thou art my friend, that know'st my tongue so well.</li>
  <li>Who art thou?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Who thou wilt: and if thou please,</li>
  <li>Thou mayst befriend me so much as to think</li>
  <li>I come one way of the Plantagenets.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li class="number">Unkind remembrance! thou and eyeless night</li>
  <li>Have done me shame: brave soldier, pardon me,</li>
  <li>That any accent breaking from thy tongue</li>
  <li>Should 'scape the true acquaintance of mine ear.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Come, come; sans compliment, what news abroad?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li class="number">Why, here walk I in the black brow of night,</li>
  <li>To find you out.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Brief, then; and what's the news?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>O, my sweet sir, news fitting to the night,</li>
  <li>Black, fearful, comfortless and horrible.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li class="number">Show me the very wound of this ill news:</li>
  <li>I am no woman, I'll not swoon at it.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>The king, I fear, is poison'd by a monk:</li>
  <li>I left him almost speechless; and broke out</li>
  <li>To acquaint you with this evil, that you might</li>
  <li class="number">The better arm you to the sudden time,</li>
  <li>Than if you had at leisure known of this.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>How did he take it? who did taste to him?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>A monk, I tell you; a resolved villain,</li>
  <li>Whose bowels suddenly burst out: the king</li>
  <li class="number">Yet speaks and peradventure may recover.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Who didst thou leave to tend his majesty?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">HUBERT</li>
  <li>Why, know you not? the lords are all come back,</li>
  <li>And brought Prince Henry in their company;</li>
  <li>At whose request the king hath pardon'd them,</li>
  <li class="number">And they are all about his majesty.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Withhold thine indignation, mighty heaven,</li>
  <li>And tempt us not to bear above our power!</li>
  <li>I'll tell tree, Hubert, half my power this night,</li>
  <li>Passing these flats, are taken by the tide;</li>
  <li class="number">These Lincoln Washes have devoured them;</li>
  <li>Myself, well mounted, hardly have escaped.</li>
  <li>Away before: conduct me to the king;</li>
  <li>I doubt he will be dead or ere I come.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Exeunt</div>

</section>

<section class="scene">

<h3>SCENE VII.  The orchard in Swinstead Abbey.</h3>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter PRINCE HENRY, SALISBURY, and BIGOT</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">PRINCE HENRY</li>
  <li>It is too late: the life of all his blood</li>
  <li>Is touch'd corruptibly, and his pure brain,</li>
  <li>Which some suppose the soul's frail dwelling-house,</li>
  <li>Doth by the idle comments that it makes</li>
  <li class="number">Foretell the ending of mortality.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter PEMBROKE</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">PEMBROKE</li>
  <li>His highness yet doth speak, and holds belief</li>
  <li>That, being brought into the open air,</li>
  <li>It would allay the burning quality</li>
  <li>Of that fell poison which assaileth him.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">PRINCE HENRY</li>
  <li class="number">Let him be brought into the orchard here.</li>
  <li>Doth he still rage?</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Exit BIGOT</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">PEMBROKE</li>
  <li>He is more patient</li>
  <li>Than when you left him; even now he sung.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">PRINCE HENRY</li>
  <li>O vanity of sickness! fierce extremes</li>
  <li class="number">In their continuance will not feel themselves.</li>
  <li>Death, having prey'd upon the outward parts,</li>
  <li>Leaves them invisible, and his siege is now</li>
  <li>Against the mind, the which he pricks and wounds</li>
  <li>With many legions of strange fantasies,</li>
  <li class="number">Which, in their throng and press to that last hold,</li>
  <li>Confound themselves. 'Tis strange that death</li>
  <li>should sing.</li>
  <li>I am the cygnet to this pale faint swan,</li>
  <li>Who chants a doleful hymn to his own death,</li>
  <li class="number">And from the organ-pipe of frailty sings</li>
  <li>His soul and body to their lasting rest.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li>Be of good comfort, prince; for you are born</li>
  <li>To set a form upon that indigest</li>
  <li>Which he hath left so shapeless and so rude.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter Attendants, and BIGOT, carrying KING JOHN in a chair</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li class="number">Ay, marry, now my soul hath elbow-room;</li>
  <li>It would not out at windows nor at doors.</li>
  <li>There is so hot a summer in my bosom,</li>
  <li>That all my bowels crumble up to dust:</li>
  <li>I am a scribbled form, drawn with a pen</li>
  <li class="number">Upon a parchment, and against this fire</li>
  <li>Do I shrink up.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">PRINCE HENRY</li>
  <li>How fares your majesty?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>Poison'd —  ill fare — dead, forsook, cast off:</li>
  <li>And none of you will bid the winter come</li>
  <li class="number">To thrust his icy fingers in my maw,</li>
  <li>Nor let my kingdom's rivers take their course</li>
  <li>Through my burn'd bosom, nor entreat the north</li>
  <li>To make his bleak winds kiss my parched lips</li>
  <li>And comfort me with cold. I do not ask you much,</li>
  <li class="number">I beg cold comfort; and you are so strait</li>
  <li>And so ingrateful, you deny me that.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">PRINCE HENRY</li>
  <li>O that there were some virtue in my tears,</li>
  <li>That might relieve you!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li>The salt in them is hot.</li>
  <li class="number">Within me is a hell; and there the poison</li>
  <li>Is as a fiend confined to tyrannize</li>
  <li>On unreprievable condemned blood.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Enter the BASTARD</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>O, I am scalded with my violent motion,</li>
  <li>And spleen of speed to see your majesty!</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">KING JOHN</li>
  <li class="number">O cousin, thou art come to set mine eye:</li>
  <li>The tackle of my heart is crack'd and burn'd,</li>
  <li>And all the shrouds wherewith my life should sail</li>
  <li>Are turned to one thread, one little hair:</li>
  <li>My heart hath one poor string to stay it by,</li>
  <li class="number">Which holds but till thy news be uttered;</li>
  <li>And then all this thou seest is but a clod</li>
  <li>And module of confounded royalty.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>The Dauphin is preparing hitherward,</li>
  <li>Where heaven He knows how we shall answer him;</li>
  <li class="number">For in a night the best part of my power,</li>
  <li>As I upon advantage did remove,</li>
  <li>Were in the Washes all unwarily</li>
  <li>Devoured by the unexpected flood.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">KING JOHN dies</div>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li>You breathe these dead news in as dead an ear.</li>
  <li class="number">My liege! my lord! but now a king, now thus.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">PRINCE HENRY</li>
  <li>Even so must I run on, and even so stop.</li>
  <li>What surety of the world, what hope, what stay,</li>
  <li>When this was now a king, and now is clay?</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>Art thou gone so? I do but stay behind</li>
  <li class="number">To do the office for thee of revenge,</li>
  <li>And then my soul shall wait on thee to heaven,</li>
  <li>As it on earth hath been thy servant still.</li>
  <li>Now, now, you stars that move in your right spheres,</li>
  <li>Where be your powers? show now your mended faiths,</li>
  <li class="number">And instantly return with me again,</li>
  <li>To push destruction and perpetual shame</li>
  <li>Out of the weak door of our fainting land.</li>
  <li>Straight let us seek, or straight we shall be sought;</li>
  <li>The Dauphin rages at our very heels.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li class="number">It seems you know not, then, so much as we:</li>
  <li>The Cardinal Pandulph is within at rest,</li>
  <li>Who half an hour since came from the Dauphin,</li>
  <li>And brings from him such offers of our peace</li>
  <li>As we with honour and respect may take,</li>
  <li class="number">With purpose presently to leave this war.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li>He will the rather do it when he sees</li>
  <li>Ourselves well sinewed to our defence.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li>Nay, it is in a manner done already;</li>
  <li>For many carriages he hath dispatch'd</li>
  <li class="number">To the sea-side, and put his cause and quarrel</li>
  <li>To the disposing of the cardinal:</li>
  <li>With whom yourself, myself and other lords,</li>
  <li>If you think meet, this afternoon will post</li>
  <li>To consummate this business happily.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li class="number">Let it be so: and you, my noble prince,</li>
  <li>With other princes that may best be spared,</li>
  <li>Shall wait upon your father's funeral.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">PRINCE HENRY</li>
  <li>At Worcester must his body be interr'd;</li>
  <li>For so he will'd it.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li class="number">Thither shall it then:</li>
  <li>And happily may your sweet self put on</li>
  <li>The lineal state and glory of the land!</li>
  <li>To whom with all submission, on my knee</li>
  <li>I do bequeath my faithful services</li>
  <li class="number">And true subjection everlastingly.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">SALISBURY</li>
  <li>And the like tender of our love we make,</li>
  <li>To rest without a spot for evermore.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">PRINCE HENRY</li>
  <li>I have a kind soul that would give you thanks</li>
  <li>And knows not how to do it but with tears.</li>
</ol>

<ol class="speech">
  <li class="speaker">BASTARD</li>
  <li class="number">O, let us pay the time but needful woe,</li>
  <li>Since it hath been beforehand with our griefs.</li>
  <li>This England never did, nor never shall,</li>
  <li>Lie at the proud foot of a conqueror,</li>
  <li>But when it first did help to wound itself.</li>
  <li class="number">Now these her princes are come home again,</li>
  <li>Come the three corners of the world in arms,</li>
  <li>And we shall shock them. Nought shall make us rue,</li>
  <li>If England to itself do rest but true.</li>
</ol>

<div class="stage-direction">Exeunt</div>

</section>

</section>

</div>

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